A Cobra's Secrets
by Rekelen
Summary: When the Academy receives an intriguing visitor, Hercules and the gang learn more than they bargained for as they are plunged into the middle of a deadly civil war.
1. Default Chapter

"So, I guess our weekend is pretty much shot, huh?"  
  
"Shot, dead, and buried is what it is. Cleaning up the kitchens and the stables; this wouldn't have happened if you hadn't acted like an idiot in front of Cheiron, Iolaus."  
  
"Oh yeah? I'd like to see you try to act cool when you're carrying a bucket full of honey through the Academy and Cheiron asks what in Hades you're doing."  
  
"Well, I wouldn't have led him straight to where we were."  
  
"Hold up, Jason, it's not entirely his fault. We should've been more careful with our plan or at least have waited for a better time. Pass me that mop, will ya?"  
  
It was a sad Friday afternoon for the three cadets. Hercules, Iolaus and Jason had been caught in the middle of an attempted prank to pour honey all over another cadet's room so that it would fill up with ants, bees and flies, in return for an earlier prank. Cheiron, in return, sentenced them to a weekend of chores in the kitchens and stables, starting that afternoon.  
  
Lilith walked by and poked her head in the doorway. "Hey guys, I just heard what happened; are you stuck in here all weekend?"  
  
Jason looked up from the pots and pans he was scouring. "Yep, sorry if we're gonna ruin your weekend. By the way, how was your trip?"  
  
Lilith had been gone for the last few days, off visiting her sister who had been sick. "It was ok. My sister's getting better every day, it just hit her hard in the beginning. And don't worry about my weekend; I'm sure I can find someone else to go to the Athenian Spring Festival with tomorrow."  
  
"Yeah, yeah, yeah. Listen, when you get back don't gloat all about it and how much fun it was. We have to hit the stables tomorrow."  
  
"And where would be the fun if I didn't gloat about it?"  
  
Lilith tried not to laugh out loud at the sight of the three boys, dressed in aprons, up to their elbows in soap and water, all glaring at her, but the best that she could do was manage to smother a few giggles.  
  
"What's so funny?" Iolaus asked indignantly from the floor he was scrubbing. He was about to go on, but he was stopped by Lilith's hysterical laughter. She hadn't seen Iolaus clearly at first, but when he leaned back to sit on his knees, she saw that his long blond hair was being held back by a rose pink scarf knotted off to one side. She leaned against the doorway, laughing so hard she could barely stand alone. Hercules and Jason had already seen Iolaus' scarf, but the look on his face and Lilith's contagious laughter started them off, too.  
  
"Hey, this wasn't my idea," Iolaus protested. "My hair kept getting wet, so the cook grabbed one of her scarves and wrapped it around my head."  
  
Lilith tried to stop laughing. "I'm sorry- haha!- Iolaus, but that color really looks good on you-haha!" She didn't succeed very well.  
  
A few minutes later, they were all calm, so now Iolaus could continue with what he had been trying to saying before Lilith had interrupted him.  
  
"Like I was saying, our missing the festival isn't that funny. Just think of what we'll be missing- a chance to see magicians, an acting troupe, a fighting display by the Shang, and on top of all that, think of the food!"  
  
"Hey, don't worry about it, Iolaus, there's always next year," Jason said practically.  
  
"Besides," Hercules added, "I heard that the Shang aren't even going to be there."  
  
"Well, that stinks," Iolaus snorted. "It would've been great to go and learn something from them."  
  
"Yeah, like how to talk with your face in the dirt."  
  
"And you think you could do any better, Jason?!"  
  
"A lot better than you could, little Miss-I-look-good-in-pink!"  
  
"I think I'll leave now."  
  
Lilith beat a hasty retreat out of the kitchen, right after she saw Iolaus pick up a bucket of soapy water, Jason using Hercules as a shield, and Hercules trying to get out of the line of fire.  
  
As she walked around the Academy, trying to decide if some archery practice would be in order- it couldn't hurt- when Cheiron stopped her right outside of his office.  
  
"Lilith, come; we have a guest for tonight and I'd like you to show her around while she's here."  
  
A bit confused, she asked, "Wouldn't another instructor be better to show a visi.her? Is she a new cadet? That would be great, it's horrible sometimes being the only girl here."  
  
"Not a cadet, only a guest, but she's about your age and staying here for the night, and I'd like you to make her feel welcome while she's here."  
  
"Oh, ok," Lilith agreed. She followed Cheiron into his office, where they found a young girl waiting patiently in front of his desk.  
  
Cheiron introduced them. "Kel, this is Lilith; she's the only female cadet here and she'll be your guide during your stay. Lilith, Kel. I put her in the guest quarters across the compound from the cadets.'"  
  
Lilith nodded, trying not to stare at Kel's oddly colored eyes. "All right. Come on, Kel, they're right down this way."  
  
The two girls exited the office and started walking towards the guest rooms.  
  
Lilith asked, "So where are you from? I don't recognize your robe's design."  
  
Kel looked at her khaki-colored traveling robe and explained, "I'm from way up north, in a small mining town in the Carpathian Mountains, but I got my robe from some Persian traders who were passing by. I was passing by here, too, and noticed the sun setting, so I was going to take shelter in the inn up the road, but it was completely full."  
  
"Yeah, we have a really big festival this weekend, so everyone from out of town's staying there. Are you going, too?"  
  
"No, I have to get to Sparta as soon as possible; I would've kept on going, but like I said, it's late and I'm on foot." "Here's your room. If you want to rest, I'd understand, but if you're hungry, dinner's in a few minutes."  
  
"That sounds great; I've had to survive on rations for most of my trip, I'd give anything for fresh food right about now."  
  
"Well, don't be too optimistic, Academy food isn't too far from rations."  
  
"Don't worry, I've probably tasted worse. Just give me a minute to put up my stuff."  
  
When Kel came out, she and Lilith headed to the dining hall. Most of the other cadets were in there, Kora's being full of out of town guests. As soon as Kel entered the hall, she was immediately greeted by whistles, cheers and clapping, or dumbstruck faces, and all for good reason- Kel could turn heads even if she was covered in mud. She had left her traveling robe in her rooms so she could move more freely, and now without it, everyone saw her slender, yet evenly muscled figure. Her fitted cropped top and skirt were both made of black leather, but both were covered by a thin mesh-like layer of bronze chain mail. Black boots intricately laced up to her knees, and she wore plain black wrist guards. Her eyes caught most of the cadets' attention; they were an unusual color of reddish gold, a color that gave Kel a serpentine look that went well with her tan skin and masses of coal black hair that was braided all the way down her back.  
  
She and Lilith were able to get a tray of food without too much trouble, and find a table that was empty, while deterring the many invitations Kel got from cadets to eat with them.  
  
"Are they always this way?" Kel asked amusedly.  
  
Lilith chuckled. "No, thankfully, or they'd have received some major beatings by this time. I think they're just fascinated by how gorgeous you are, excuse me for saying so. I'd get used to the attention while you're here."  
  
Looking towards the kitchen doors, she spotted Hercules, Jason and Iolaus walking tiredly out the doors, trays of food in hand. Speaking to Kel again, "Great, my friends got some time off for dinner. I'll introduce you. Hey, Hercules!"  
  
The blond demigod stopped looking for a place to sit and saw Lilith off at a corner table. He smiled in acknowledgement, then froze when he saw Kel sitting across from her. She was one of the most gorgeous girls he had ever seen! He didn't even notice the hard thuds in his back that came from Jason and Iolaus running straight into him. Seeing the dumbstruck look on his face, the looked in the direction he was looking and had the same reaction.  
  
Iolaus recovered first. "Whoa, who's that babe with Lilith? Maybe she's a new cadet, I get first dibs on sittin' next to her!"  
  
He dodged around Hercules and Jason and practically ran to the table. The other two were snapped back into reality when he dashed by them, and quickly followed. As soon as they sat down- Iolaus and Hercules on either side of Kel and Jason next to Lilith, Lilith went through introductions, and then they began eating.  
  
"Are you a new cadet?" Jason asked.  
  
"No, just a guest for tonight. I continue my journey tomorrow as soon as I get up."  
  
"Oh," Iolaus said, with a slightly disappointed look on his face.  
  
Kel laughed good-naturedly. "Hey, I'm still gonna be here for the rest of tonight. Do you guys have any plans for tonight?"  
  
"Well," Hercules began awkwardly, "The guys and me kinda got into trouble today and part of our punishment includes kitchen duty, so after dinner, we have to go back to washing dishes and stuff."  
  
Kel glanced at Lilith questioningly. Lilith inclined her head slightly towards the guys. Kel nodded; Lilith pursed her lip thoughtfully for a moment and nodded, too.  
  
Lilith spoke up. "How about me and Kel help you out with the dishes? You'll be done quicker and we'll all have some more time to hang out tonight."  
  
"Is that what that was all about?" Jason asked curiously.  
  
"Yep."  
  
"Great, another thing I'll never understand about girls," Iolaus muttered. "Hey Kel, something wrong?"  
  
Kel had a puzzled look on her face as she chewed on something. "Maybe. Does kitchen duty involve cooking?"  
  
Hercules shook his head. "No, why?"  
  
"Just answer a couple more questions for me. These are mashed potatoes, right?" She pointed to some food on her plate.  
  
"Yeah, sorry if it seems like our cooks are trying to poison you." Lilith apologized. "Does it taste that bad? We've kinda developed an immunity to their cooking." "No, they taste fine, just." She pulled something out of her mouth and placed it rather delicately in her napkin. ".why does it have bones in it?"  
  
The four cadets looked at each other.  
  
"I think we should get started on those dishes," Jason suggested dryly.  
  
"Good idea," Hercules agreed, "Come on, Kel, the kitchen's over here."  
  
They all headed into the kitchen with their trays, amid the gazes of many lovestruck cadets following Kel as she left. When they had emptied their trays, they started with their chores. Kel found herself washing dishes with Iolaus, Lilith and Hercules worked on the pots and pans, and Jason dried whatever they washed and the floor, too, whenever they spilled water on it. Since dinner had just started, they took their time with the few dishes they had and mostly talked.  
  
"You look a bit young to be traveling alone, Kel," Jason said, "Your parents don't mind?"  
  
"No, I'm an orphan."  
  
"Oh, sorry."  
  
"Don't worry about it; I was only a few months old; I've been living with my relatives for the past seventeen years, so I've had a good life in any case."  
  
Lilith handed Jason a pan she'd just finished scrubbing. "You said you were from the Carpathian Mountains; why are you going all the way down to Sparta?"  
  
"Mining is just not for me. I learned some fighting skills at home, but I wanted to learn more and decided that Sparta seemed to be the best choice."  
  
"You know, you could always stay here," Iolaus said cheekily. "We have a good fighting program here."  
  
Kel flicked some bubbles at him. "I don't think so. Besides, I've already been accepted into one of their academies, and have some friends down there, too."  
  
The conversation slowed when Jason, who had left in the middle of it, came back with a large pile of plates from dinner, most still having remnants of mashed potatoes on them. Now he was promoted to dishwasher and helped out alongside Kel and Iolaus. But with the three of them they finished off the dishes in no time, even though Lilith and Hercules kept on bringing in new plates after they had finished the pots and pans. When the constant flow of dirty dishes started to slow down, Iolaus found some time to flirt with Kel.  
  
"So.are you seeing anyone?"  
  
Kel chuckled at the cute attempt. "Ha, no. I'm not, but that's not an invitation by any means."  
  
"Too bad, you could've made it easier on yourself."  
  
Everyone jumped at the sound of the new voice. Its source came from the door the to outside of the Academy where three cadets were standing; the one in the middle was obviously the leader of the scruffy-looking trio. Kel heard Hercules mutter a grim, "Oh great."  
  
Jason spoke first, while the others quickly dried off their hands, tensing up for whatever happened next. "What do you want, Shadren?"  
  
The tall, muscular cadet glared at him. "I don't have to explain myself to you, prince," he said contemptuously. He strode over to Kel and grabbed her wrist. "Come on, let's get out of here."  
  
He tried to drag her with him but found that Kel was as immovable as the building she was standing in, even though she was using one arm to block Iolaus, Jason, and Hercules from trying to beat up Shadren for her. Lilith knew what was going on; she was helping Kel hold back the guys.  
  
"Lilith!" Hercules exclaimed, starting to get annoyed at her refusal to let him fight.  
  
She shook her head. "Not until we're needed."  
  
The guys stopped struggling and watched what transpired next.  
  
Kel kept a passive emotionless look on her face. "Let go."  
  
You want me to let go, you're gonna have to make me," Shadren sneered, not making any move to let her wrist go.  
  
She narrowed her eyes. "As you wish."  
  
The cadets watched in awe as she proceeded to free her wrist by jumping and slamming her feet hard into Shadren's chest, then in a blur they could barely follow, she knocked him face down to the ground, completely unconscious. And he hadn't even touched her.  
  
It was over quicker than the earlier retreat from dinner. Kel turned Shadren on his side and checked his condition. Standing back up, she looked at his two companions; from the astonished looks on their faces, they didn't seem too eager to continue the fight. "Take him back to his room; he'll awake in the morning with a few bruises, that's all."  
  
The cadets did as they were told, doing their best to half-carry, half-drag Shadren out of the kitchen.  
  
Kel watched them leave, then turned to the others. They all had expressions of surprised wonder on their faces.  
  
Iolaus spoke first. "Wow."  
  
Lilith said, "And you said you came from a mining town? Where in the world did you learn how to fight like that?"  
  
Kel shrugged. "My relatives taught me how to defend myself if I ever had a need to; and occasionally, we had a Shang warrior pass through and he'd teach us village kids sometimes."  
  
"Do you think you could teach us what you just did?" Jason asked.  
  
"I suppose I could give you a quick lesson, but we'll need a lot more room than this kitchen has."  
  
"Well, we're done 'til tomorrow morning, so how about we hit the courtyard, plenty of room there," Hercules suggested.  
  
"All right then, let's go."  
  
Once they all reached the courtyard, Kel began their lesson. And they kept at it for over an hour. Once she slowed down the technique she used to knock out Shadren, they were able to follow along quite well. In the one-on- one fights with Kel though, Hercules was the only one who would last for more than a few seconds, his immortal blood giving him the quicker reflexes and strength he used. After helping him off the ground after one session, Kel asked him about his unusual stamina and looked slightly impressed when he named Zeus as his father.more interested than impressed, really, he noticed.  
  
They were all tired after the lesson ended, especially Jason, Lilith, and Iolaus; since they were only human, they weren't able to react as quickly as Hercules did and as a result spent a bit more time on the ground. Of course, Hercules wondered how Kel could keep up with him, let alone surpass him if she was only human. He tried to shrug it off; maybe her training had given her some extra edge in her fighting; maybe she also had immortal blood in her; maybe it was none of his business. To paraphrase Cheiron, "Everyone has a past." He was curious, but perhaps he didn't need to know.  
  
"All right, I've had enough," Iolaus groaned wearily. "I'm going to bed. The stables await in the morning."  
  
"I agree with you there. And just think of how much fun it'll be cleaning out the horses' stalls when we're aching all over. Thank you so much, Kel."  
  
"You're welcome, Jason. I need to turn in as well; I'm leaving at the crack of dawn tomorrow."  
  
Iolaus struggled to his feet, trying to walk. "Dawn? You must be crazy, even our rooster sleeps through that."  
  
Kel laughed. "Oh, really. Well, I've been traveling for a long time now, and the faster I can get to Sparta, the better."  
  
Hercules also climbed up on his feet. "Whatever you say, Kel. But seriously, our rooster here crows around noon, so I wouldn't expect a wake- up call. Come on, your room's on the way to ours, we'll walk you there."  
  
They walked rather slowly, since Kel and Hercules had to hold up the other three, so they wouldn't trip and fall. Aside from the occasional murmurings of "I am definitely gonna be feeling this in the morning" and "I'll never walk again, my legs feel like they're gonna fall off," there wasn't much said. Kel was too busy trying to keep Lilith up and Iolaus from "somehow" leaning on her instead of Hercules, who was busy thinking his own thoughts; he couldn't get over the feeling that there was more to Kel than she let on, innocent as she was. As he watched her out the corner of his eye, she looked as fresh as a daisy, yet he and the other cadets were still trying to regulate their breathing and all of their skin shone from the thin layer of sweat across their skin. She probably had a past of sorts, but one that could explain her fighting skills and strengths that were better that his own? He wanted to ask her about it, but it was late; maybe the next morning, if he caught her before she left; the others would probably be really tired, so he could talk to her alone.  
  
They reached Kel's room and said a short goodnight there. Iolaus tried to get a good-night kiss, but changed his mind when she jokingly remarked, "Oh save the dreaming for when you sleep."  
  
On the slow walk back to their own quarters, the cadets discussed Kel.  
  
"Yep," Iolaus gloated, "I think she wants me."  
  
"Yeah, she wants you to leave her alone," Jason commented.  
  
"That was pretty cool-what she taught us. You guys'll probably remember it longer than me, though."  
  
"Why would you say that, Lilith?"  
  
"Because I'm not the one who's gonna be vividly remembering each and every hit that she landed while you clean out the stables."  
  
"Well at least, we've got kitchen duty before that. The smell of breakfast should kill our sense of if we're lucky, we can get out of the whole thing with food poisoning."  
  
"All right, here's my room, I'll drop by the kitchen before I leave in the morning."  
  
The boys said goodnight to Lilith as they went into their own quarters. There they could talk about Kel again, but without having another girl there.  
  
"She didn't look that interested, did she?" Jason asked.  
  
"Nope, and I tried," Iolaus answered. "Even though she's gorgeous, you kinda gotta rethink the whole thing after what happened with Shad."  
  
"Does anyone else sense that Kel seems to be hiding something?" Hercules asked confidentially.  
  
"Yeah, of course," Jason responded, "but everyone's got secrets, Herc; and as long as it's not harmful to anyone, she can keep her secrets," the crowned prince's side of him showing through his young boyish personality.  
  
"I guess so." Though still highly curious about Kel and the odd feeling he had that something was strange about the whole situation, Hercules was tired beyond belief. He fell asleep as soon as his head hit his pillow. 


	2. A Cobra's Secrets

The next morning, Hercules was awakened by the first rays of sunlight streaming over his face. Groggily remembering Kel was leaving at dawn, he sat up, intending to go say goodbye to her and maybe even asking her about what he had been wondering the night before. He immediately wished he hadn't sat up so quickly; the aches and pains from the night before hit him like a bolt of lightning. He could only imagine what the others would feel like, since he had been able to hold up better during their fighting lesson. He dragged himself out of bed and woke up Jason and Iolaus. Even if they didn't want to rush and say goodbye to Kel before she left, they might need the extra time to recover before they had to start scrubbing dishes in the kitchen.  
  
"Hey, Jason, wake up, you gonna come say bye to Kel?"  
  
A bleary-eyed Jason sat up, or at least he tried. "What-oh! Man, I can barely move!" He looked around the room. "Hercules, it's barely dawn."  
  
The demigod was already finished dressing. "I know, but Kel's leaving now, so if you want to see her off, then hurry. Hey, Iolaus, wakey-wakey!" He went over to Iolaus and started shaking him by the shoulder.  
  
"Oh wakey-wakey yourself," Iolaus mumbled sleepily. "I'd throw a pillow at you if I wasn't so sure my arm would go with it."  
  
Hercules quickly washed his face. "Come on, Kel's probably leaving now; besides, you'll have to get up sometime."  
  
"Kel? Oh yes, the young torturer who did this to us."  
  
"Yeah, she's as pretty as she is ruthless," Jason added. "Try to stall her and I'll see if Lilith wants to come, too."  
  
By this time, Hercules was done getting ready; he set off at a fast walk towards the front gates. He reached them just in time to see Cheiron accompanying Kel outside. They both heard the sounds of Hercules approaching footfalls and waited for him. Once he showed up, Cheiron immediately excused himself and trotted quietly back inside the Academy, leaving one door open for Hercules.  
  
Hercules glanced at the eastern horizon, the sun barely peeking over the ground. "When you said you'd leave at the crack of dawn, you weren't kidding around. The sun's not even a quarter up yet."  
  
"Yes, I know, but I have a long journey. I would've left earlier, but Cheiron caught me on my way out and insisted I take on new provisions."  
  
"Well, I'm glad he did. Kel, can I ask you something?"  
  
"Sure, anything."  
  
"It's about-"  
  
"Hey you two, having a farewell party without us?"  
  
Jason, Lilith and Iolaus had managed to get up to say bye, although by the way they were walking, they were definitely feeling pain from the night before. They joined the other two right outside the gate. Slightly disappointed at not being able to ask Kel about her life, but still having a sense of humor, Hercules couldn't help but comment, "Lilith, nice hair."  
  
She ran her fingers through her hair and glared in mock anger at him, while everyone laughed softly.  
  
"So, you ever gonna be back this way again?" Jason asked.  
  
"Perhaps, we'll see how things go in Sparta. If I do return, I'll be sure to drop by." She started walking off, the cadets calling out last minute farewells.  
  
"Have a safe trip!"  
  
"Keep out of trouble!"  
  
"Bring me back something, 'k?"  
  
Iolaus was immediately smacked in the head by the other three cadets.  
  
Kel laughed, gave a small salute, continuing her walk on the southbound path on the main road not far from the Academy. Everyone, except for Hercules, went back inside, back to bed until they had to get up again. Hercules stood in the gateway for a few moments, resigning himself to the fact that he would have to live with the mystery that surrounded Kel, probably for the rest of his life, as he watched her walk down the path. As he turned inside to shut the gate, he heard a loud hissing through the air. He whirled around to see Kel fall to her knees, her hand on a black arrow imbedded in her shoulder. Through his initial shock, he heard someone yelling, the sound coming from the forest on the western side of the Academy, and saw a large group of men running towards Kel. He shouted out, "We're under attack!" and sprinted towards the downed Kel. He picked her up and was able to get back inside the gates just before the men reached them. Cheiron came galloping up with a few teachers to see what was going on.  
  
While Hercules quickly explained the best he could, the other teachers set about waking everyone up to defend the Academy, and Cheiron checked on Kel's wound. She held back a pained gasp as he snapped off the long shaft of the arrow sticking out of her shoulder. Overhead, arrows, sling stones and the occasional fire arrow started flying into the Academy.  
  
Cheiron yelled out, "Be careful, everyone! Watch for incoming fire!" Turning to Hercules, he ordered, "Take her to the infirmary, then get some weapons from the armory and join me up on the outer wall."  
  
"Wait!" Kel managed to say through gritted teeth. "Negotiate with them for a ceasefire; what they want is me. Tell them I'll talk with them."  
  
"We'll see, young one. Just get that shoulder taken care of."  
  
Hercules carried Kel to the infirmary, occasionally dodging incoming fire or anyone running around on the grounds. Once there, the chief physician, Dalin, dismissed Hercules and started checking on Kel's wound, but not before she called out, "Hercules! Please, when you get up there, talk to them, just get them to stop their attack."  
  
He gave her a quick nod, then left. Kel turned her attention back to her shoulder. Luckily, her traveling robe was thick and the arrow's flight near spent; it didn't even pierce the other side. Dalin was able to pull the head of the arrow out, with major self-restraint by Kel not to yell out in pain when he had to practically hold her shoulder open to get to it. While making a poultice for her shoulder, he called one of his assistants over.  
  
"Jaresh! Take her over to the bench over there and bandage her wound with this. I need to take care of the cadet that just walked in."  
  
Kel looked at the doorway. Two cadets were walking in, one supporting the other, who had burns all over his arms and face; obviously, the fire arrows were starting to take their toll on the building, most of it made of flammable materials. Kel grimaced at the pain and suffering she had unwittingly brought onto the Academy.  
  
"Miss?"  
  
She looked away from the doorway to see Jaresh standing in front of here; he led her over to the waiting bench. "I need to get to your wound."  
  
"Oh, yeah, of course."  
  
She slipped her traveling robe off the best she could, using only one arm. Jaresh started to work on her shoulder. She bore the pain stoically, both physically and emotionally; while her wound was being dressed, two more cadets came in with burns and by the time she left, another one came limping in, a black arrow in his leg.  
  
She left her robe and her haversack in a corner of the infirmary, then dashed to the battlements on the outer wall, bow and arrows from the armory in hand, and joined Cheiron who was alternately shooting off arrows, ducking behind the battlements and shouting out requests for a ceasefire. Kel held up a hand, motioning him to be silent, then did some shouting of her own.  
  
"Cease fire, Reskal! I'm here now, so stop firing!"  
  
Immediately the arrows and weapons fire stopped. A harsh, mocking voice came from outside the walls.  
  
"So you finally decided to stop hiding like a frightened kitten, eh, Rekelen?"  
  
That silenced everyone within hearing distance. Rekelen was the name of the Shang Cobra, the youngest of her order.  
  
Hercules had been fighting on the other side of Cheiron; now he felt a mixture of surprise and relief. So, he thought, she's Shang; that certainly clears a lot of things up, her reflexes, strength, fighting style.  
  
He heard a choked cough coming from further down the wall; he turned his head to see that it was Shadren, apparently realizing just whom he had picked a fight with. They were also taught to kill at a glance; nice going, Shad. He turned back to listening and watching the exchange between Kel and the leader of the attackers.  
  
Kel had stood up, looking down at the man who had spoken. "Reskal, how lovely to see you again. What, it's been two years since Master Vedaren kicked the Dragons out of Shang? I still remember your retreat from the palace, all of you fleeing like whipped dogs."  
  
Reskal smiled grimly through his blond goatee. "Everyone is entitled to their own recollection of that day; yours is of no matter. I suppose you've heard of our growth in Corinth."  
  
Kel lifted an eyebrow in surprise. "No, I haven't, but thanks for telling me; I'm sure everyone back home will be glad to hear that."  
  
"I'm sure they will. You can go back to Shang to tell them, that is, if you make it out of here alive."  
  
Kel leaned her hand on the battlements, acting as if it were nothing. "Whoever said I was going back to Shang. Or maybe you haven't heard- I've been sent out as a wanderer; I don't plan a trip back to Shang for years."  
  
"Really, Rekelen," Reskal said in an odd voice, "It's not like you to lie. We know you were going to Corinth. But you have no need to now."  
  
"Look, Reskal, enough beating around the bush. What is this all about?"  
  
Reskal's eyes turned an icy blue. "Your operatives. They're dead."  
  
Kel casually checked her wound. "Operatives. Do you mind ex-"  
  
Reskal interrupted her. "Corlen, Asaron, Sirella, and Turon. That is what I mean, Cobra, if that's what they're still calling you."  
  
Kel's cheek twitched slightly, but that was the only expression left in her face. She let go of the battlements and straightened up. "Well, now that you're done delivering your news. I suggest you leave. Now."  
  
He chuckled humorlessly. "Well, you see, there's a small problem with that. I'm afraid we can't let you go; Jetar really doesn't want the rest of the Shang to know just yet about Karsan and the others just yet. He'd like the attack on the palace to be a surprise; you know how thoughtful he is."  
  
"Of course, like the time he broke Darius' shoulder 'accidentally,' then helped him to the infirmary."  
  
"Exactly."  
  
"I suppose he wants me dead then."  
  
"Not just yet; he wants me to bring you back alive. Something about killing Liam off too quickly, and he wants to do the job properly with you."  
  
Kel felt hatred race through her blood like fire.  
  
"And before you decide anything," he added, "I remind you that my men and I can shoot all day; you won't be able to keep that place standing forever."  
  
Kel's mind raced. If she gave herself up, the Shang would send more warriors, who would most likely meet the same fate she would if they didn't know what to expect. But if she kept on fighting, Reskal never bluffed; he would keep shooting until the Academy burned to the ground. What she needed to do was keep him from destroying the Academy while not getting killed in the process.  
  
Reskal crossed his arms. "I'm waiting, Cobra. What's your answer?"  
  
Kel inclined her head knowingly. "I've noticed that a few of your men were injured during our little skirmish; so were a couple of ours. Now, we can go on sniping at each other all season, and believe me, fire won't do much to this place if there's no one left to shoot your fire arrows. Or we can end this right now. In an honorable fashion."  
  
Reskal had a look of amusement on his face; Rekelen remembered him well. She knew that he would rather have a one-on-one combat, giving his opponent an even chance of winning, instead of an uneven fight of thirty-on-one fight.  
  
"What do you propose?"  
  
"At high noon, we fight out here, in front of the Academy, swords, nothing else. First one disarmed loses. If I win, you'll leave this place alone. If you win, I'll go with you."  
  
He stroked his chin thoughtfully, thinking for a moment. "Agreed. High noon, one-on-one." Then raising his voice for the rest of his men, "Everyone got that?"  
  
The response was unenthusiastic, but general grumblings of "Yeah" and "Understood" could be heard.  
  
"All right, back to camp." With that, Reskal and his men started walking back to the forest.  
  
Kel stood on the wall top, watching silently until the last of Reskal's men had disappeared into the forest. As soon as they did, she leaned against a battlement and let out a deep breath. Noticing all the stares she was getting, she looked at Cheiron and Hercules and motioned for them to follow her.  
  
When they reached the bottom of the stairs, Cheiron only said, "So what will you do now?"  
  
Kel replied, "The only thing I can do- help with the wounded, then preparing for the battle."  
  
"But Dalin and his assistants already have the entire situation in hand," Hercules said. "Perhaps, but I'll feel better if I stop by the infirmary." Kel let Cheiron lead the way.  
  
"But what can you do?"  
  
Kel countered Hercules' question with one of her own. "What exactly do you know about me, speaking of my reputation as the Cobra of Shang?"  
  
"Well, you're the youngest person to ever become an official Shang warrior. And no one's ever seen you until now, but it's been said that you're one of the greatest warriors to ever live."  
  
The centaur added, "And something many people have wondered is if you are of divine heritage. Some say you can even heal.others." He looked carefully at Kel. "Is that why you-?"  
  
She cut him off. "Yes, I can heal, so right now, the infirmary's my first priority. But I am not a demigoddess of any sort, and that's all I can tell you."  
  
They finally arrived at the infirmary. A few cadets and a teacher were on the waiting benches, most being patched up by Jaresh and other healers on staff. Lilith and Jason were already bandaged, but they couldn't be seen clearly, their backs beings towards the door, both standing in front of the main examining table.  
  
Hercules called out a friendly greeting. "Hey, Jason, Lilith, what's-"  
  
He stopped abruptly when Lilith and Jason jumped back and turned towards Hercules, their faces pale. As soon as they did, the prone figure of Iolaus could be seen, an arrow buried in his midsection.  
  
Hercules' throat tightened. "Oh no." He and Kel went quickly over next to Jason and Lilith.  
  
Cheiron joined Dalin on the other side of Iolaus. "Is he-"  
  
"No, no, I'm not." This came from Iolaus, who opened his eyes weakly. "But you're not far from the truth." He struggled just to stay conscious for as long as he could.  
  
Dalin shook his head sadly. "I'm sorry; there's nothing more I can do other that make him comfortable. It's amazing he even lasted this long."  
  
"Of course," Iolaus mumbled, "I wanted the last thing I saw to be Kel's pretty face."  
  
Kel smiled faintly. "Don't worry, Iolaus; but I'll warn you now, the first thing you see when you wake up might now be as pretty; don't scream too loud. For now, just sleep." Placing her right hand on his forehead, she closed her eyes and everyone who was watching saw an extremely faint golden glow flow from her hand into his head. He had been about to ask what she was talking about, but he barely got past the first word before he dropped off into sleep.  
  
Dalin's forehead furrowed up in confusion. "Master Cheiron, what is going on here?"  
  
Kel answered for the centaur. "I have no time to explain everything, but I can heal Iolaus, and I must do it quickly. Take care of your other wounded."  
  
She turned to Hercules. "I'll need your help, though. Give me your hand."  
  
When he hesitated, she gazed solemnly into his blue eyes with her own light amber ones. "Please, you have to trust me. For Iolaus' sake."  
  
Something in her eyes told the demigod he could trust her. He took her outstretched hand. Kel place her other hand over the place where the arrow entered into Iolaus' body. Closing her eyes again, she took a deep breath and started. This time the glow not only came from Kel's hand into Iolaus, but also from his hand joined with hers. Hercules felt as though he was being drained of something; it was a peculiar sensation, but not hurtful in any way. The glow was so bright that everyone in the infirmary saw it and fell silent when they saw where it was coming from. The process only took a few minutes; in the middle of it, Kel gently pulled the shaft out of Iolaus' wound. Towards the end, the glow from both Kel and Hercules flowing into Iolaus grew fainter. When it finally disappeared, Kel removed her hand from the point of entry. There wasn't even a scar left to indicate that Iolaus had ever been shot, only dried blood from when he had first been hit.  
  
The entire infirmary was silent as Kel struggled to remain standing, but her legs were pretty weak. Hercules and Jason caught and supported her; Hercules was feeling a bit off himself; not as weak as Kel looked but still a bit dizzy.  
  
"He'll be out for the rest of the day as his body does some healing of his own," she reported wearily. "Sometimes it's best for that."  
  
"Come on," Hercules said. "You need to rest." He led her over to an empty bench. "You ok?"  
  
"Yeah, thanks," she replied. "Healing just takes a bit out of me, especially if I'm wounded myself."  
  
Cheiron walked over to them. "Kel, none of the other patients have life threatening injuries. Can you heal your own wounds, or do you need our help?"  
  
"I can fix my shoulder, but again, I'll need your help, Hercules, if you're willing to help."  
  
"Of course."  
  
Kel took off her bandage and took both of Hercules' hands in her own. This time, only a steady stream of soft golden light flowed from Hercules into Kel, but Kel's skin started to glow, her skin a glistening amber color. The other cadets watched, fascinated as the wound in her shoulder slowly repaired itself, ending with her skin looking as flawless as the rest of her. This time, Hercules felt even more drained than when Kel had healed Iolaus; he kept himself from drifting off to sleep by thinking about all that had gone on in the past day.  
  
Hmm, let's see, we get a gorgeous girl at the Academy who ends up being the Cobra of Shang, we have a small battle here, Iolaus nearly dies, she heals him and now she's healing herself. Sounds like a pretty normal day. But what is she? Wait, I already know what she is- the girl of my dreams. A warrior, beautiful, funny; I never expected that from a Shang, only a cold warrior with the power to kill. And boy, is she mysterious, there are too many questions that I want to ask, but I don't know if I should. Like why is it that she came less than a day ago and I feel like I'm falling in love with her every moment that she's here. I feel like I've known her for longer, like there's something attracting me to her, but I don't know what it is.I don't even know if I care. Wait, what about that Liam guy Reskal mentioned? From Kel's reaction, he was probably a friend.a close friend. Great, Herc, you find the perfect girl and she's still recovering from the death of a boyfriend. I guess all my chances just flew out the window. Hercules, sometimes you can be so- what the?  
  
While he was reflecting on Kel, something happened in his mind. Images appeared, blocking out his own. A distant view of an enormous palace, fog resting on the dark green forest covering the mountain on which the palace sat. He knew somehow that this was the palace of Shang. Looking up from an impressive looking marble floor to see the king and queen of Thessalonica. The smiling face of young man, dark haired, eyes the color of a gray wintry sky, rubbing his forearm and laughing ruefully- Liam.  
  
Kel broke off their link. Her shoulder was healed, but both she and Hercules felt tired, Kel even more so. She leaned her head on her hands and spoke. "If you feel more tired than before, I understand; I used most of my inner reserves for Iolaus, so I had to take more from you this time; just so at least I wouldn't collapse as soon as I was done."  
  
Hercules nodded. "I think I understand. You still don't seem to be able to fight though." He realized, She doesn't know. All those images, I know them, but how? From her?  
  
"Not now, at least. How close is it to high noon?"  
  
The blond demigod looked out to a nearby window, reopened now that Reskal and his men were gone. "It's coming, but you've got quite a long time before it does. What do you mean, not now?"  
  
"Give me some time, food, maybe some sleep, I should be able to build up some strength before the fight. Accompany me to the mess hall?"  
  
"Sure, let's go."  
  
The two of them set off at a slow pace to the dining hall, but it didn't take them that long. Kel sat down at a table at the wall and rested, while Hercules looked around in the kitchen for food that wouldn't kill her before Reskal had his chance to; the infirmary was close to the dining hall for a reason. As they ate some fruit and vegetables he had found, Hercules asked Kel questions about exactly what was going on.  
  
"So, how exactly do you know Reskal?"  
  
"He was part of a rogue gang formed in the Shang palace; they called themselves the Dragons, even thought Shang titles are only bestowed upon individuals who have earned their rank. All of them were in a less advanced class than I was, but it was enough."  
  
"Enough?"  
  
"As you advance through Shang training, you get taught harder and more difficult skills. Most of the Dragons were at the point that they could injure easily. And injuries were already commonplace- it happens all the time at a place like Shang. But we learn from it and how to stop it from happening again. But the Dragons.at first, it was just a bunch of 'accidents'. Then later on, it became more than an 'accident'." Kel's voice choked up slightly; after a moment's silence, she went on.  
  
"After about a month of this, the masters were at a loss on what to do. They had already gone from so-called accidents to purposeful violence. They were considering banishment-, which hasn't been done in a century because it's so severe- when Jetar killed a student.brutally-" This time, Kel's voice broke totally and she turned her head away from Hercules, so he couldn't see the tears forming in her eyes.  
  
Hercules was a bit stunned to see Kel in this state, but he still could think clearly enough to circle the table to sit by her and put his arm around her comfortingly. Not looking at her directly, giving her some privacy, he gently said, "If you don't want to talk about it, I'll understand."  
  
"No, no," she countered, shaking her head and dashing the tears from her eyes. "It's ok, it happened a long time ago, almost two years actually. Umm. after that.incident, the Dragons were banished from the palace, publicly disgraced and dismissed in front of the whole palace. And as they left, their leader, Jetar, threatened to kill us all, no matter what or how long it took."  
  
"Were you the Cobra by the time this happened?"  
  
"Not quite; I was still fifteen, but only a few days before my sixteenth birthday and the ceremony to give me my rank."  
  
"Wow, sixteen. Why so young? Every other Shang I've heard about has been a lot older. And why 'the Cobra'? Doesn't seem the most ideal for someone like you." Kel laughed softly. "My title came from my friends; they said when I fight, I look like a cobra ready to strike. They said I move like a snake when I'm looking for an opening. You might be able to see it when I fight Reskal. And as for my early acceptance into the Shang order, you saw it yourself, in that fight with Shadren. My strength and reflexes allowed me to go through my training faster than anyone else ever has."  
  
"Oh, well, what about the rest of the story, with Reskal and stuff?"  
  
"Well, since Reskal just about exposed the entire operation in front of the Academy, I suppose I can at least I can try to have it make sense. A year after this happened, we got word of a group of renegade Shang that had taken root in Corinth and were teaching their skills and also their ideals to the youth living there. Of course, we couldn't allow that to continue, so we sent four undercover warriors to Corinth- Corlen, Sirella, Asaron, and Turon. Corlen and Asaron were two warriors who had arrived at the palace shortly after the Dragons were banished; they had been gone for the entire time that everyone in the Dragons had been alive, but still looked young enough to join the Dragons, so we sent them down as citizens of Corinth. Sirella and Turon went as them selves but were accepted into the Dragons over the past year as having 'rejected the Shang way of life.'  
  
"This is where it gets confusing. About two months ago, the masters decided to send me. After what Jetar did, I couldn't understand why I would be sent. They said I would go dethrone Jetar, with the help of the other four, get rid of the Dragon sect that way. Even though it seemed a bit risky, I've been trained to follow orders, no matter what. Then about a month later, I left. My cover story varied from place to place- I must have told a dozen different stories- going to Ephesus, Thessalonica, Athens, then Sparta- all the while heading to Corinth."  
  
"Well, I'm glad you stopped here; think of what could've happened if you had reached Corinth."  
  
Kel leaned back in quiet frustration. "I don't know how I'm going to tell the others. But. I'll deal with that when it comes. For now, I should start preparing for the fight."  
  
She got up from the table after Hercules sheepishly removed his arm from around her shoulders after she gave him a knowing look. She tried to stand, but wobble was closer to what she did. "And I think I should start by getting some sleep. Could we go out to the courtyard?"  
  
"Yeah, of course, but wouldn't you prefer your room?"  
  
"No, it's rather stuffy actually; at Shang, my quarters have huge windows that face two directions and it feels really open. Join me?"  
  
They walked out into the courtyard; it was still a long time till noon and no lessons would be taught that day until the Dragon threat was gone and the damage to the Academy fixed. Stretching out in the cool shadows by a wall, Kel fell asleep in an instant. Hercules laid down nearby, couldn't get to sleep just yet.  
  
On his back, his arms underneath his head, he stared up into the near cloudless sky, going over the things in his mind that Kel had told him. I guess that Liam guy was the student killed.and the guy she loved. It's been two years and she's still sensitive about it. So much for me having even half a chance at her.  
  
He looked over to where she lay sleeping. This is probably the first chance she's had in a while, especially with the whole Dragons in Corinth business. I can't imagine what it's like, undercover one moment, the next fighting as the warrior she is, The Cobra of Shang- an awesome fighter, but I never would've expected her to be so funny. or human. Still, she's too out of reach. It would've been nice though. Then the draw of sleep was too much and he didn't bother fighting it.  
  
While Hercules slept dreamlessly, Kel relived countless memories in her sleep. Figures and scenes from her past appeared in her mind with vivid recall. Looking up at the face of young novice Torias. Master Kyana teaching her how to walk. Her first fight against a classmate in practice. Liam's kind help in sword practice. A food fight in the Shang mess hall. Helping with other students with staff-fighting, hand-to-hand combat, archery. Surprise drills that stated in the middle of the night. Talking with Liam in practice, at lunch. During a horseback ride, when they were diplomats in Thessalonica. The pride she felt when Torias was promoted to the Shang Wolf. Healing Liam of a head wound after deterring a raiding party. Their first kiss. Light hearted teasing from their friends. The first moment practices started going awry. Tarrance's broken arm. Bryony's cracked ribs. Areel's broken collarbone. Jetar killing Liam, his sword in Liam's chest, out and stained with blood, Liam collapsing, not even alive when she reached him. Master Vedaren's decree of banishment. Twenty Dragons walking out the massive gates of the Shang palace. Jetar's last threat. Liam's funeral. Being in full dress uniform at her ceremony. Her headband and wrist guards being presented to her, a cobra poised to strike depicted on them, encircled by a ring of fire. Mourning silently day after day, night after night. Her curious orders to go to Corinth. Traveling along roads, in fields, through dark forests. Arriving at the Academy. Meeting the cadets. The arrow striking her shoulder. The battle. Healing Iolaus. Fighting Reskal. Losing. Seeing Jetar. Dying at his feet.  
  
After seeing this last scene, Kel sat straight up, wide-awake and breathing hard. Hercules was still sleeping and it was nearly high noon. She got up and started stretching and warming up muscles for the fight. Hercules woke up when she finished. "You ready?"  
  
"As ready as I'll ever be. I was just about to get my sword, I'll be right back."  
  
She left the courtyard and returned shortly, a gleaming sword hanging loosely from her hand.  
  
Hercules stood up, stretching the sleep from his body. "Wow, nice sword. I take it that's a present from Shang?"  
  
She polished the pommel stone casually. "I suppose you could say that. The metal came from a fallen star that hit not far from the palace. The rest was done by Shang metal workers; I received it on my thirteenth birthday." It was indeed a nice sword; the pommel stone was set at the top of the hilt, amber as Kel's eyes. Black leather and silver made up the handle and crosstrees. The blade itself shone brilliantly in the sunlight, blood channels on both sides, the sharp double edges tapering off to a dangerously pointed tip.  
  
Kel went through a few quick drills with sword in hand that Hercules could only follow the movements of by watching the bright reflection off it as it whirled through the air.  
  
Cheiron showed up on the courtyard. "It seems you are ready, Kel, and not a moment too soon. One of the sentries we put up has just sighted Reskal and his men coming out of the forest."  
  
Lilith and Jason came running up. Both still bore the bandages on their faces and arms from having to beat out fires in the Academy. "Anything we can do before you go out there, Kel?" Lilith asked.  
  
"No, except you make sure that the guys don't interfere, like with Shadren in the kitchen last night."  
  
"I will. Good luck out there."  
  
Before anything else could be said, a familiar voice roared from outside the gates. "Rekelen! It's time!"  
  
Cheiron opened the gate and stepped out first, Kel and the others following behind. The small group of men was standing in a wide semi-circle behind the main road, with Reskal in the middle, who had removed his shirt for both easier movement and possibly to try and intimidate Kel by a show of strength. "Are you ready for total humiliation, Cobra?"  
  
It didn't work. "It's hard to be humiliated when you've beaten the living daylights out of your opponent!"  
  
"We'll see about that." Taking a huge broadsword from one of his men, he stepped out to a place between the two groups, Kel also doing the same. She was slightly nervous, but her dreams had an unusual knack for being accurate, and the one she just had with losing to Reskal was not something she was looking forward to. But knowing the future also gave her a chance to change it. I guess we'll see about this, too.  
  
When they met, they both crouched down into the "guard" position and began.  
  
Reskal attacked savagely, his sword clashing jarringly against Kel's repeated blocks. After his barrage of initial strikes, he backed off slightly, looking for a new opening. Kel didn't give him the chance to find one. She whipped her blade up in a crescent that Reskal countered just in the nick of time; Kel reversed it quicker than the eye could see and nearly knocked the sword out of Reskal's hand, if he had not followed the direction of the blow, spinning full circle, his sword out at shoulder level. If she had not ducked, Kel surely would've been beheaded. Hopping back up, her sword met his and they exchanged a fierce flurry of parries, thrusts, and blocks. Neither gaining an advantage, they broke off from each other, and circled, looking for openings. Hercules then knew Kel's friends had given her title aptly; she always kept her body close to the ground, moving in a liquid movement, like a cobra in the sand.  
  
Kel had no intention of making this a long drawn out battle. She lunged in, attacking with a series of harsh arcing strikes, trying to get the sword out of Reskal's hand. He deflected them as rapidly as he could; finding an opening that could disable her, he lunged in. She saw it coming, and, sliding her sword around his like a streak of lightning, twisted it sharply. Reskal's sword went flying out of his hand, too fast for him to try to grab for it. He tried though, but the feeling of cold steel under his chin said otherwise. He froze and slowly turned his head to look into the even colder eyes of his warrior opponent.  
  
"Well?" she asked icily.  
  
He stepped back in resignation. "The battle is yours.today. This place may be your safe haven, but you're fair game as soon as you leave. I doubt this will be our last meeting, young Cobra." With that, he picked up his sword and walked back with his men into the forest. 


	3. A Cobra's Secrets

Kel strode back to the cadets and Cheiron, keeping an eye on the Dragons until the last one had disappeared.  
  
"You guys, it's ok, really. And I don't have enough strength to drag all four of you back inside if you collapse from not breathing."  
  
All four immediately took in deep breaths, wondering how long it had been since their last one.  
  
Kel saw a look of approval in Cheiron's eyes. "Well done, Rekelen. In all honesty and respect, at times I thought you wouldn't survive."  
  
"I'm kinda surprised you didn't kill him when you had the chance," Jason said. "You know he would've killed you if he could."  
  
She studied her blade, contemplating her answer before she spoke. "I've killed before; I don't wish to do it again unless necessary. And Reskal wouldn't have killed me; Jetar wanted me alive- it's wise to follow his orders if you enjoy living. Besides, any move he tried, he knew I could block; I think he was just trying to scare me."  
  
Cheiron motioned to the four to head back into the Academy. "In any case, we are glad you are safe. But for now, talking will have to wait. Boys, for the time being, you are exempt from your punishment, but I want you to help take care of any damage done to the Academy, Lilith, you, too. Kel, if you wouldn't mind, the infirmary could probably use some help."  
  
That night after dinner, Hercules, Jason, Lilith, Kel, and Iolaus, who had woken up around sunset, all sat out in the courtyard, telling Iolaus all that had happened after Kel had healed him. Overall damage wasn't too bad; any fires that were started had been quickly put out. There were a few burned spots on the courtyard, a few charred wall hangings, and stray arrows still stuck in the ground, Kel was able to take care of some scars in the infirmary; luckily, no one else had been injured as Iolaus had been, since he had been one of the first to be hit; everyone else was cautious after that. The brief skirmish had been short, but furious.  
  
"Well you were right, Kel," Iolaus remarked offhandedly. "I nearly had a heart attack when I woke up; the first thing I saw was Jason with a smirk on his face, saying 'I'm afraid you're not my type.'"  
  
"What?"  
  
Jason explained, "I was in the infirmary right after you left to rest after all that healing you did, helping Dalin out, when I saw that Iolaus was starting to wake up. I went over to him and said his name, trying to bring him out of it. Next thing I know, he's mumbling out, 'Will you marry me?'"  
  
Everyone except for Iolaus started laughing uncontrollably.  
  
"Who was she, Iolaus?" Hercules managed to ask between laughs.  
  
"For your information," Iolaus responded matter-of-factly, "I was proposing to Kora."  
  
"Good thing Jason woke you up when he did," Lilith commented. "Or else she would've hit you so hard you'd still be unconscious."  
  
After everyone's laughter had subsided, Jason remarked to no one in particular, "So much for a boring weekend of kitchens and stables, huh?"  
  
Hercules sat back against the wall, arms folded on top of his knees. "Yeah, but Lilith here had to miss the first day of the Spring Festival."  
  
Lilith was stretched out, leaning back on her hands. "Oh, that's ok, it probably wouldn't be boring without you guys along. By the way, Kel, why weren't the Shang gonna come to the festival?"  
  
Kel told them what she had told Hercules earlier (artfully leaving out the death of a trainee, Hercules noticed), stating it was too risky to have their warriors that close to Corinth without being an undercover agent.  
  
Jason stood up and stretched. "I don't know about you guys, but I need to get some sleep."  
  
Lilith yawned. "Me, too. You guys coming?"  
  
"Are you kidding, I've been asleep for the last twelve hours, I can't go to sleep now!" Iolaus exclaimed.  
  
"I'll go later; right now, I need to talk with Kel," Hercules said.  
  
Quiet goodnights were exchanged as Jason and Lilith set off to their rooms, leaving the other three in the torch-lit courtyard.  
  
"So, Herc, what do you want to talk about?"  
  
'Umm, Iolaus, I need to talk to Kel.alone."  
  
"Alo-oh! Right. Ok, I'll go someplace else then." He got up, winking at Kel as he did. "But if he gets boring, I'll be in the stables' hayloft."  
  
"I'll keep that in mind," Kel replied, winking back at him.  
  
Iolaus left, leaving the two alone in the courtyard.  
  
After a few moments' silence, Kel asked, "Well?"  
  
"Umm, I'm trying to think of a good way to ask this."  
  
Kel waited patiently, staring up at the stars that filled the black night sky. With a touch of homesickness, she realized that they were also shining over her home in Shang. She could always see them from her windows in her room, their pale light comforting. She missed Shang immensely, but knew she'd be back home soon.  
  
"All right, I think I got it." Hercules' voice cut into her reverie. "This is gonna sound a little crazy, so please just hear me out."  
  
She looked at him with an understanding he could feel. "Go ahead."  
  
He took a deep breath. "Ok. Do you remember when I was helping you heal your shoulder wound?"  
  
Kel nodded.  
  
"Do you remember anything...odd happening while we were linked together?"  
  
"What do you mean by 'odd'?"  
  
"Like.images that popped into your head that you've never seen before; places you've never been to, people you've never met-"  
  
Kel's eyes had grown wider while Hercules was speaking; she clapped a hand over his mouth before he could say anything else. He looked at her with surprise; her face had grown pale with shock.  
  
"Hercules," she whispered slowly and carefully, as if trying to find words to say. "Tell me what you saw, quietly." She removed her hand.  
  
He didn't understand, but complied. "I saw the Shang palace off in the distance; it was huge; foggy, too, with lot of trees. Then there was the king and queen from Thessalonica, even though I've never seen them in my life before. Then a guy, with black hair and gray eyes; he was laughing. I think he had just been hit on the arm, too. Kel, are you ok?"  
  
Kel' amber eyes shone sadly. "Yes, I'm alright. You just-. Never mind. Was there anything else?"  
  
Hercules shook his head. "No, that was it."  
  
Kel stared at Hercules thoughtfully for a few seconds, and then went back to staring at the stars again. Hercules thought she could use the silence to think and didn't say anything. Just then, Cheiron appeared from a nearby doorway.  
  
"Hercules, Rekelen? It's late; after today, one would've thought that you would've turned in early."  
  
"Oh, of course. We just lost track of time, that's all. Thank you, Cheiron." Kel got up with a yawn. "We can continue our talk tomorrow, Hercules."  
  
The demigod was clueless for a second. "Huh? Oh, yeah, tomorrow. Walk you to your room?" Then getting a mischievous sparkle in his eyes, "Or were you planning on paying Iolaus a visit?"  
  
Kel grinned. "He just never gives up, does he? Oh, well, let's go."  
  
They started off to Kel's quarters, Kel indicating that they should speak quietly.  
  
"Are you sure there were no more images you saw during our link?"  
  
"Positive."  
  
They walked in silence until they reached Kel's room. At the door, she turned to Hercules.  
  
"Sorry about that. I had some.thinking to do."  
  
"I understand."  
  
"Like Cheiron said, it's getting late. I'll try to explain some of this tomorrow, what I can, at least. But until then, I need you to promise me one thing."  
  
"Anything."  
  
She looked into his eyes, her own serious. "Promise me you won't say anything to anybody about this. Not Iolaus, not Jason, not Lilith- no one. Is that understood?"  
  
"Yes, of course."  
  
"Great. Now if you'll excuse me, I need to get to bed. I'll see you in the morning. Good night."  
  
"Good night, Kel."  
  
He went back to his room and got ready for bed quietly, since Jason was out like a rock. I wonder what that was all about. She did say she'd explain it tomorrow; bet it's gonna be one heck of one, too.  
  
The following morning, after breakfast, found Kel, the four cadets and Cheiron all crammed into the map room, searching for any way to help Kel escape to Shang safely to warn them of the Dragons. With the six of them, it didn't take long, but it did involve a lot of sneezing from the dusty scrolls. Finally.  
  
"Hey guys, I think I've got something!" Jason reported. He held up an intricate drawing of what looked like a long thin snake.  
  
Cheiron took it and studied the scroll. "Very good, Jason; this just might work for the Cobra. Kel, come take a look at this."  
  
She took the drawing from the centaur. It was a detailed diagram of a tunnel that began not too far from the Academy; it was only a couple miles long, but the Dragons wouldn't be able to trace her movements at all. "I like it; simple to carry out and easy to get by the Dragons with." She handed it to the four cadets.  
  
"But that tunnel starts in the forest," Iolaus said. "Won't Reskal and his men be waiting for you?"  
  
"They'll be waiting for me, yes, but I assume that they'll waiting in the western part of the forest, where I'd have to cut through to go north to Shang. This tunnel starts in the eastern section. They'll still be watching for me, but if I can run to the tunnel's entrance as quick as I can, I could disappear underground before they realize I've disappeared completely. Satisfied?"  
  
Hercules had just looked over the scroll. "Yeah; when do you plan on leaving?"  
  
"Actually I was thinking today, about sunset."  
  
"Sunset? Why not wait 'til tomorrow morning, you'll at least have some light to see with," Jason asked.  
  
"When you're underground, daylight really doesn't matter. Besides, Reskal probably remembers I like to start anything at sunrise, so he'll probably be on high alert then. If I leave at dusk, I can still find the tunnel, but the Dragons'll be hard pressed to track me in the dark. I can travel in the tunnel safely, sleep at the end, then continue on in the hope that Reskal will have given up on searching for me."  
  
"Sounds like a plan," Lilith managed before she sneezed from all the dust that could be seen reflecting bright sunlight as it floated around the room. "Are we done?"  
  
Cheiron smiled amusedly. "Yes, we are, but right now, I need to speak with Kel privately; if you will excuse us?"  
  
The cadets left the room; before he left, Hercules turned towards Kel. "Hey, we'll meet you in the courtyard after you're done, 'k?"  
  
She nodded to him and he disappeared out the door.  
  
"Don't worry, this won't take long," Cheiron said. "Seeing your skills in action from your swordfight yesterday, I was wondering about the possibility of you or one of your fellow warriors coming here to train my students."  
  
"When I reach my home, I'll suggest it to my superiors. It shouldn't be a problem, but you might have a long wait, at least until we get this Dragon problem under control."  
  
"Good, good, good." Cheiron trailed absently; he rubbed his goatee thoughtfully. "But even if we did get a Shang teacher down here, how teachable would by students be?"  
  
"Sir?"  
  
"Yesterday morning, before you left, Hercules came to bid you farewell. As I walked back into the Academy, I passed by the other three cadets. All of them had a distinct stiffness that could be seen by the way they walked, although Hercules seemed to be managing better then the others. I asked the other three about it and they said it was a result of a small fighting lesson you had given them. It gives my reason to wonder if they will be able to learn any Shang skills without all the pain."  
  
"They will adapt to if well enough, but it's usually easier if you've been taught all your life; I officially started my studies at the age of four. Besides there are different skills that can be taught to your students, even with their limited Shang training."  
  
"That is all I wanted to know; thank you, Rekelen."  
  
"You're welcome, Cheiron. Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to get a head start on my journey home- there's a gaping hole in my traveling robe that needs repairing."  
  
While Kel and Cheiron were talking, the cadets had all gone into the guys' room, where the other three interrogated Hercules.  
  
"Well?" Lilith asked as soon as the door was shut.  
  
"Well, what?" Hercules replied, a bit confused.  
  
"Well, what are you going to do about Kel?" Jason put in.  
  
"It's obvious you like her," the female cadet added.  
  
Hercules went over and sat on the edge of his bed. "You know you guys are crazy, right? I don't like her, at least not more than a friend." He then added an afterthought. "What do you mean, 'it's obvious'?"  
  
Lilith sighed in patient exasperation. "Yep, he's fallen for her."  
  
"A Shang warrior," Jason mused. "Nice going, Herc."  
  
Hercules looked up at him wryly. "Thanks, and I don't know what I going to do about Kel; she leaves at sunset and in any case I think she wants to keep this at a friendly level."  
  
"Yeah, whatever," Iolaus said offhandedly, "So what did you two talk about last night after I had to leave?"  
  
"Sorry, that's personal; I promised her I'd keep it quiet."  
  
"Come on, pleeeease? Don't make me beg."  
  
"Iolaus!"  
  
"Ok, ok, ok."  
  
Jason piped up. "Did you find out anything about that Liam guy Reskal talked about? She looked pretty edgy about that."  
  
"I think Liam was her boyfriend and he was killed by one of the Dragons; she was almost in tears when she mentioned his death."  
  
Lilith spoke up. "That reminds me. When I was with the Amazons, I heard some rumors flying around about the Cobra never going to marry because of a fatal accident at the Shang palace; the Amazons were proud of her decision."  
  
"Perfect." Hercules muttered to himself. Then he spoke to his friends. "Look, guys, it seems pretty clear that Kel doesn't want to get involved with anyone right now. And I can accept that. For now, how about we all just hang out- she's leaving at sunset."  
  
Jason clapped Hercules on the shoulder. "Sounds good; let's go find her."  
  
The four cadets left the room; they found Kel in her quarters, in the middle of fixing her traveling robe. Since they had nothing better to do, they all stayed in her quarters, even after she finished her robe and had gone on to cleaning her sword, talking.  
  
About the time where the sun just started to touch the western horizon, the five had already finished talking, and were just inside the front gate with Cheiron, so Kel could be ready to dash out the door.  
  
"So you're sure you have enough provisions to last for a while."  
  
"Anymore and I'll need a second haversack."  
  
"And you'll yell out for help if you get caught, right?"  
  
"If I get caught."  
  
"And-"  
  
"Guys, enough! I'll be fine, I promise. I've got everything I need; now, the sooner I leave, the better. On the count of three, I want you to fling the gate open, then I'll bolt out of here for all I'm worth to the tunnel's entrance. And maybe someday I'll come back and see you all again."  
  
"Umm, Kel? Could I talk to you privately for a moment?"  
  
"Sure, Hercules, just make it quick."  
  
Kel and Hercules took a few steps away from the others.  
  
"Yes?" Kel asked.  
  
Hercules kept his voice low. "I thought you were gonna explain a few things to me."  
  
"So I did. I left a note back in my quarters, underneath the mattress. Don't let anyone else see it, it's important." Her amber eyes looked softer than they had the night before, and held a trust that Hercules knew he couldn't betray.  
  
"I won't, I promise." With that, he hesitated slightly, but then kissed Kel gently on her forehead.  
  
They turned to find the other three trying not to grin and Cheiron hiding a smile through his goatee. The centaur was able to speak without showing his amusement when Kel and Hercules returned to the door. "Safe journey, Rekelen of Shang."  
  
"Thank you. All right, now that that's all done- ready, Hercules?"  
  
He was standing at the gates, preparing to shove it open for Kel. "At your command, Cobra."  
  
She smiled at Hercules' use of her title. "Ok, ready. One-two-three!"  
  
Even while the demigod was whipping the door open, Kel had already begun running from a set distance within the Academy. She reached the open doorway as soon as it was fully open. The others waited inside watching as she quickly disappeared into the eastern forest.  
  
"She runs pretty fast, for all she's carrying," Jason observed.  
  
"Yeah, no kidding- provisions, the robe she's wearing, and her sword slung over her back, and now we can't see her anymore," Iolaus added.  
  
"And probably we will not see her again her for some time," Cheiron pointed out. "But we must still carry on back here. Tomorrow is another school day, and I believe I assigned work for you to finish up."  
  
Lilith smiled wryly. " I hate to admit it, but he's right. We've got a life to get back to; we've only got a few hours 'til lights-out."  
  
"All right, let's go," Jason said. "Um, Herc?"  
  
The demigod was leaning on the door opposite the opened door, in the direction that Kel had gone.  
  
"What? Oh. Right."  
  
The cadets let to their rooms as Cheiron shut the gates.  
  
Kel made it to the tunnel safely. It took only a few moments of quick searching, but she found the door cunningly hidden in the trunk of a huge tree, only accessible to those who knew what to look for. As soon as she did, she shut the door behind her and lit the small lantern Cheiron had given her for her underground journey. The tunnel was a fairly good, sized one, easy to get through, except the cobwebs illuminated by Kel's lantern. She pulled up her hood to protect her hair and shuddered. I absolutely hate spiders, she thought with disgust. At least I didn't find any at the Academy; it wouldn't do for a legendary Shang warrior to shriek at the sight of a bug.  
  
As she traipsed through the tunnel, only following her instinct and the direction of the tunnel, she reflected on what had happened in the last two days. This was supposed to be a simple operation-go to Corinth, take Jetar out, take back our own warriors, and go home. So what happens? I'm ambushed by Reskal and a group of Dragons, Corlen and the others are dead, I'm nearly responsible for the destruction of an entire training academy, so I have to fight for it, my identity's found out, I had to heal someone, and now I get to go back home and tell everyone all this. Oh and let's not forget what happened with Hercules back there. Just like Liam, the dream, the thought, the images. And he saw so much; the palace, Liam. I do hope he won't say a word about it to anyone; although, from what I can gather about his character, he doesn't seem the type to break his word.  
  
Liam, if only you were still here, I probably wouldn't even be in this situation right now. OF all people, I can't believe they sent me; after two years of trying to keep me from killing Jetar for your death, they send me, knowing I would kill Jetar first chance I get. Goodness knows how much I miss you, but what's the point when I let you go? Even Master Vedaren said that you wouldn't want me to go unmarried for the rest of my life. Perhaps, someday I will let go, and when I do, I'll come back here. Perhaps.  
  
Things at the makeshift camp of the Dragons were not going well at all. Many of the men were grumbling about how long they had been living out in the wilderness and how much longer they'd have to stay before Kel decided to leave. Reskal had already told them countless times that Kel would leave soon to get word back to Shang and that he would not go back to the Academy to forcibly remove her because of the pact he had made with her- he was a Dragon, but he still had honor.  
  
His second-in-command, Kovius, entered the main tent, where Reskal was sitting, looking over some maps. Reskal looked up annoyingly at the grim faced man standing in front of him.  
  
"Kovius. Now, what? If this is another complaint, show me who said it; no one will complain again, I'll make sure of that."  
  
"Rekelen just left."  
  
Reskal jumped up. "She what? Now? Did you send someone to track her, we won't find trails easily in the dark."  
  
"Vethan went after her and his partner reported back to me. Don't worry, Vethan can track her, no matter what."  
  
The blond haired Dragon adjusted the sword on his belt as he started to walk out of the tent. "Good. Let's go-"  
  
"You won't find her."  
  
Reskal and Kovius whirled around. Sitting in Reskal's chair was-  
  
"Ares," Reskal said suspiciously. "To what do we owe the pleasure?"  
  
"Let's skip the pleasantries, shall we? I'm here because you need my help. And I need yours."  
  
"Explain."  
  
"Your situation with the Cobra. I've been watching it for a while; it's been amusing, but a couple skirmishes don't amount to much in my book. If you really want to make yourselves distinguished, then listen carefully. I can help you capture her."  
  
Reskal snorted scornfully. "We can deal with her on our own."  
  
Ares got up and walked around in the tent. "I'd like to see you try. She's taken a secret that not even your best trackers can find. But you agree to help me, then I'll show you where she'll be showing up next."  
  
Kovius asked, "And what would we have to do?"  
  
The god of war smiled thinly. "When you capture her, she'll have a companion with her from the Academy, a young boy by the name of Hercules. Kill him."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"I never liked my little half-brother, but Dad won't let me kill him personally."  
  
Reskal was still suspicious. "And how do you know he'll be there when he capture Rekelen?"  
  
"Leave that to me; he'll be there. You only have a few hours; get all your men together and I'll lead to where she'll be resurfacing; after that. You know what to do."  
  
"Understood. Kovius, assemble the men with all our gear and have them ready to leave in a few minutes."  
  
"Aye, sir."  
  
Shortly afterward, everyone was ready standing before Reskal and Ares.  
  
Reskal gave his men some short orders. "When we get to our destination, find the tunnel's exit, then start finding hiding places that surround the exit. I'll explain the finer details when we get there. Ares, I believe you know the way."  
  
It had already been a few hours since the sun went down, but still, all Hercules could think of was Kel. He lay on his bed, staring up at the ceiling, thinking about her letter. It had been short, but to the point: Hercules, I know I said I'd explain last night what I could of what you saw. Well, all I can say is that I have given this some thought and I can't tell you more than that I'm not one of you. Other that that, please, carry what you saw to the grave with you; I think it'd be for the best. Take care of yourself and the others, they're a good bunch. Kel. P.S. burn this letter after you've read it.  
  
And he had, tossing the letter into the fires of the kitchen ovens before dinner. Now he just went over the letter in his head over and over again, oblivious to everything around him-  
  
"Herc? Herc!"  
  
-Until a hand waving in front of his face brought him back to reality.  
  
"What the- oh. What's up, Jason?"  
  
The crowned prince looked concerned for his friend. "You ok?"  
  
"Yeah, I think I just need some fresh air." He got up from his bed. " I won't be long."  
  
Iolaus looked up from his spot on the floor, a book in front of him. "All right; on your way back, see if Lilith's awake, we could use some of her help with this stuff."  
  
Hercules exited the room and went into the courtyard, the open air and clear night sky helped to clear his mind, although his thoughts still focused on Kel. I wonder how far she's gotten by now; probably to the end, or at least close to it, it was only on the other side of the forest. And as soon as she's past that, it's onward to home for her; she'll probably never give a second thought to us, she'll be so busy with being the Cobra. I can't believe I kissed her. On the forehead no less but still. At least it was only that, but I knew about Liam. At least she didn't kill me. I should probably be getting back inside now.  
  
He spoke softly into the quiet night air. "Safe journey, Rekelen of Shang." He turned to leave, but stopped when he saw Ares standing in front of him.  
  
"Are you sure about that?" he asked, crossing his arms in a somewhat smug manner.  
  
"What the-? What do you want?" Whenever Ares was around, there always had to be trouble nearby.  
  
"Oh, I just thought I'd drop by and pay my favorite half brother a visit, what do you think, I'm here to talk to you about Rekelen." He tilted his head mockingly. "You remember Rekelen, don't you? Gorgeous girl, great fighting skills, in a war with the Dragons?"  
  
"Get to the point, Ares."  
  
"They know where she is."  
  
Hercules couldn't say anything, Ares' statement was so blunt.  
  
"They'll be waiting for her at the end of the tunnel; you know what'll happen if they get their hands on her."  
  
"Yes, I do, but I'm not gonna let it happen." He started to run past Ares out of the courtyard, but Ares caught his arm and continued.  
  
"You won't have time to mount a search and rescue party, every moment you waste here is another moment that Rekelen is in danger. But I can get you there in an instant. Your chances of saving her will be better than if you got all your little friends together and went there yourselves."  
  
Hercules bit his lip, thinking hard and fast. I'd also have a better chance if I had some help. But it would take a few minutes to get the others. And Kel probably doesn't have that much time. Then there's Cheiron. Wait, why should I trust Ares? And he asked the god of war that, on his guard for any tricks.  
  
Ares put on a mock-hurt face. "My dear brother, how can you think that you can't trust me?"  
  
"Well, there-"  
  
"Never mind, don't answer that. But I'd hurry up with your decision." Ares turned his head off to the side, as if seeing something that Hercules couldn't. "They're getting closer with every second we stand here. Make your decision now, or Rekelen's as good as dead."  
  
"How are you gonna get me there? Even I know you can't transport anyone who's not full blooded god."  
  
"That's why I brought this along." Ares held out his hand; a small metal device in the middle of his palm shone dimly from the moonlight.  
  
Hercules was curious about this device, but was still wary of Ares; he always had some hidden agenda and Hercules felt that this situation was no different. "What is it?"  
  
"Something Strife picked up for me while wreaking havoc at the Shang palace; it has the ability to transport anyone, even one with lowly human blood like you."  
  
Ignoring the jibe at his mortal side, Hercules asked, "And why should I trust you, this could explode in my face or take me to Hades itself or-"  
  
Ares cut him off. "Well, I guess you'll have to decide- whether to trust me and have a chance to rescue Rekelen or just throw it away and with it goes any possibility of keeping her out of the hands of the Dragons- you do know they want to kill her, don't you?"  
  
Hercules knew he was telling the truth on that account. Knowing he'd probably regret this later, he took the device from Ares hand. "Tell me how to work this thing."  
  
Ares smiled. "Press the red button in the center of the device, and you'll find yourself near to where Kel is."  
  
With that, Hercules pressed the button and in a soft white glow, he disappeared out of view, just as Jason, Lilith, and Iolaus walked into the courtyard, searching for Hercules since he hadn't returned.  
  
"What the-?" Jason started.  
  
Ares turned towards the three cadets.  
  
"What did you do to Hercules?" Iolaus demanded.  
  
""Oh, he just decided to go see Rekelen before she left. Not that you can do anything about it- by the time you reach the tunnel's exit, he'll be dead and the Cobra should be in the hands of the Dragons." And with that, he also disappeared.  
  
The cadets were speechless for a few moments.  
  
Lilith managed to speak first. "Guys, we have to do something, we can't just let Hercules go out there to die."  
  
Jason's natural leadership abilities took charge. "And we won't, but we're not going out there unprepared. Lilith, go find the map of the secret tunnel and some lanterns, too. Iolaus, get Cheiron and Dalin, too, and tell him to prepare the infirmary. I'll get weapons. We'll all meet at the front gate; hopefully, we'll find Hercules before it's too late."  
  
As soon as Hercules appeared in the edges of the eastern forest, the first thought that hit him was- Great, Ares sends me here in the middle of the night and the only way I can see is by the moonlight shining down here. How am I supposed to find Kel this way?  
  
He looked down at the device in his hand, but it also disappeared out of view, leaving Hercules with no alternative but to search for Kel.  
  
He crawled to a nearby bush for cover, just in case Reskal's men showed up, and only had to wait a few seconds before he saw part of a tree trunk in front of him started to open up. A narrow door opened out slightly, then opened up just enough to allow the small figure of the Cobra slide out. She quietly shut the door behind her and checked her surroundings carefully before she started to walk out from the clearing, in the opposite direction from Hercules, who softly called out, "Kel!"  
  
Startled, she whirled around toward the sound of his voice and immediately dropped down into a defensive stance. "Whoever you are, show yourself; I don't like being followed."  
  
The voice that came out sounded slightly embarrassed. "It's Hercules; can you give me a hand? My shirt's caught in a bush over here."  
  
She walked over to where he was and helped him free of the bush that had hold of his shirt. As he stood and dusted himself, she asked him warily, "What are you doing out here, Hercules? One would've thought you'd stay at the Academy, what, with all the Dragons that would be out looking for me."  
  
"And I would've, but you're still in danger out here. The Dragons know you're here-"  
  
"They what?"  
  
"No time to explain, we've got to get out of here."  
  
"I'm afraid that won't be possible."  
  
Reskal and his men stepped out from behind various trees and bushed that surrounded the clearing, all of them armed with swords, spears, or bows and arrows.  
  
Both Hercules and Kel had gone into fighting stances as soon as Reskal had spoken. Kel knew it was hopeless to fight, especially with half a dozen archers that already had their bows up with black arrows against taut bowstrings. She tried to at least spare Hercules. "This doesn't involve him, let him go."  
  
"I can't do that."  
  
"Why not?"  
  
"Because he is involved." Turning to Hercules, he commented, "It seems that you've got some family who aren't too fond of you."  
  
"Ares, huh?" Hercules did a good job of hiding his fear, at least on the outside.  
  
"Exactly; in exchange for leading us to Rekelen was your life."  
  
"Reskal, don't do this.please." Hercules was surprised to hear a tiny flicker of pleading in Kel's voice.  
  
"You know I can't do that." He nodded to one of his archers. "Shoot him." Before Kel could do anything, an arrow thudded into Hercules shoulder. He grunted from the impact; the shaft was deeply buried but he was still able to stand. Kel took one step towards him to try and help him, but three Dragons came and grabbed her before she could go any farther. She fought all of them off in a matter of moments, but she wasn't expecting a hard blow to the back of her neck by a fourth Dragon. She collapsed to the ground, barely conscious. She felt herself being lifted up by her arms and heard Reskal talking.  
  
"Thank you, Kovius. You wouldn't have been able to do much for him anyways, Rekelen; that was a poisoned shaft. He'll be dead before dawn."  
  
She looked through bleary eyes at Hercules; he was already weakening. He was kneeling down, trying to snap the length of the arrow outside his shoulder, but his numbing hands wouldn't do anything. She bowed her head in pained humiliation. Not again.  
  
Hercules was almost gone, but he could still hear Reskal calling out to his men. "Put her on my horse, he'll be able to carry the both of us. We need to get back to Jetar as soon as possible." The sounds of horses' hooves pounding into the forest floor slowly faded away as everything around Hercules went black. 


	4. A Cobra's Secrets

A bright light shone into Hercules' eyes. He blinked and squinted, turning his head away from the source, barely realizing it was warm. Through a slowly disappearing haze, he heard a familiar voice. "He's waking up. I think he'll be all right."  
  
He tried sitting up, but one hand on his left shoulder was enough to keep him down; the dull pain in his other shoulder caught his attention and he stayed, lying down. He asked to no one in particular, "What's going on?"  
  
The next voice was more recognizable. Cheiron's. "From what Jason and the others told me, Ares took you to the secret tunnel where Kel was. When I went to search for you, I found you alone, lying unconscious in a clearing with an arrow buried in your shoulder. I brought you back as quickly as possible; I had suspected that the arrow had been poisoned."  
  
"And it was," the first voice confirmed. "But that is a mystery in itself."  
  
Hercules turned his head enough to see Dalin, the chief physician, come up to the side of the table Hercules was lying on. "What are you talking about?"  
  
"From my analysis on the arrowhead, the poison used is a common herb, found all over the Grecian Peninsula. But it's not deadly, it's only used as a tranquilizer, a sleep-inducing agent. Anyone with even the least bit of knowledge about herbs would know that it wouldn't kill anyone."  
  
Hercules was confused. "Then why would the Dragons shoot me with an arrow that won't even kill me? Reskal said that the point of it was to kill me."  
  
Silence pervaded the infirmary, until Cheiron made a suggestion that everyone was thinking, but thought impossible. "Perhaps they did not wish you to die. Only to make it seem as though you were."  
  
Jason said slowly, "If it was only for show, then who were they trying to fool- Kel? Make her think Herc's dead?"  
  
"Or maybe not all the Dragons knew about the arrow not being deadly," Lilith suggested. "Maybe there was one who didn't want him to die and just made it seem like he did."  
  
Cheiron looked down at the wounded demigod. "Hercules, we need you to tell us everything you remember since you disappeared from here. Perhaps it will shed some light onto this mystery."  
  
Hercules was able to sit up without too much pain in his shoulder and explained everything he could as best as possible. When he finished, there was a prolonged silence in the infirmary. Hercules broke the quiet with a question to Dalin. "How long before I can get out of here?"  
  
Dalin looked up from some herbs he was mixing. "Your shoulder wasn't too badly damaged and is healing well on its own; you can leave right now, just be careful with that shoulder for a while."  
  
"Let's just hope that it's not too late," Hercules said under his breath.  
  
"Too late for what?" Iolaus asked a bit absently.  
  
"You're still gonna try to rescue Kel, aren't you?" Jason asked, already knowing what the answer would be.  
  
"Of course, they're gonna kill her!" Hercules exclaimed. He hopped off the examining table he was sitting on and turned to Cheiron. "Sir, I have to go. She'll die if I don't."  
  
The centaur calmly countered Hercules' anxious request. "And if you go, you will most likely die as well."  
  
Hercules started to protest, but Cheiron held up a hand to stop him. "But something here tells me that this is different from anything we've ever encountered before. Therefore, I will let you go."  
  
"Thanks, Cheiron." He turned and started walking towards the door.  
  
"Hey, Herc!" Jason called out. "I think you're forgetting something!"  
  
The demigod turned to see the other three cadets, lined up, side by side, expectant looks on their faces. It didn't take Hercules too long to realize what Jason meant. He instantly started to shake his head while inching towards the exit. "No way. This is way too dangerous to drag you all into."  
  
"Not as dangerous as it'd be if you went alone," Iolaus remarked.  
  
Hercules was about to protest again when Lilith noted, "Hercules, time's running out; for us and for Kel. We don't have time to debate this with you and we won't take 'no' for an answer."  
  
He took a breath to say 'no', but thought better of it. Slowly exhaling, he smiled at his friends' loyalty. "All right. Here's the plan. Lilith, get four horses from the stable. Iolaus find some dark cloaks so we can blend in with the night. Jason and I'll bet weapons from the armory. Everyone, meet out front. We're going to Corinth."  
  
The peaceful quiet that night was broken by the galloping of horses. The cadets set off at a quick pace to Corinth, handling their mounts so that they would reach the city as fast as possible without killing their horses with exhaustion. All four wore long black cloaks, mostly to blend in with the night, but it also wouldn't do for anyone to recognize Jason.  
  
Shortly after they got underway, Iolaus called out, "So, Herc, how are we gonna find Kel when we get to Corinth?"  
  
Hercules called back, "I'm not sure. You still have friends in Corinth, don't you?"  
  
"Yeah, why?"  
  
"Maybe someone could provide us with some information about the Dragons."  
  
"And how are we supposed to get her away from them, if we do find her?' Jason yelled out over the loud pounding of the horses' hooves on the road.  
  
"I'm not sure about that, either. Start coming up with some ideas."  
  
"Great," Lilith mumbled. "I've volunteered for a suicide mission."  
  
They rode in silence for the next few hours, stopping occasionally to let the horses rest, and to share any ideas they had on how to rescue Kel.  
  
When they arrived in Corinth, it was still night, but sunrise would come soon, an hour, maybe two, judging by the faint blue light on the eastern horizon. They stopped along the outskirts of the city, securing their horses in an empty stable. With their hoods up, they carefully approached the city. It was extremely dark, save for a few lights in the inns for travelers. They paired off. Lilith and Iolaus went to try a find a friend of his who might be of some help. Jason and Hercules went into some inns and tried to see if any of the innkeepers knew anything.  
  
They had only been in a few inns and it seemed either that the innkeepers didn't know anything about the Dragons or were too scared to say anything. After they exited the seventh one, they saw Lilith and Iolaus running up, the former thief dragging along a figure by the arm.  
  
"Hey, guys, I found one of my old friends. Meet Gevrin- he says he can take us to the Dragons' meeting place."  
  
"Mind you, I can take you near it, but I'm not stepping one foot closer to that place than I have to," he added, furtively looking around, his large pale blue eyes taking in his surroundings cautiously. "I'm not one of their biggest fans; I spend as much time avoiding them as I do the Corinthian guards. Come on."  
  
As he tuned to lead them out of the city, the four cadets saw the outline of a long jagged scar along the edge of his left jaw, illuminated by the full moon above.  
  
Gevrin led them out of the main portion of the city to a large barn within sight of the empty stable where they had left heir horses. They hid among some bushed a good distance from the barn, but it seemed pretty old; the light that came from inside, showed that new wood planks had been nailed over the old rotting wood. He informed them, "That's where they usually meet; it's isolated, and it's big enough for their numbers."  
  
Hercules asked a bit worriedly, "That barn is huge! How many do they have?"  
  
Gevrin smirked slightly. "They have almost eighty men altogether, how in Hades you're gonna do what you have planned, I have no idea." He started slinking away back to the city. "It was nice seeing you again Iolaus; I'll be sure to say something nice at your funeral."  
  
The four friends quietly crept up towards the front doors of the barn, three of them asking Iolaus how Gevrin had gotten such a gruesome scar on his face.  
  
"He got it when the Dragons tried to recruit him as a thie- um, businessman. He refused; he has a high price for his talents and revenge isn't a profitable business, especially against a people you don't know and who are legendary for their fighting abilities, too. Now he avoids them at all costs; he barely escaped with his life, taking the scar as a reminder."  
  
Once they got to the front of the barn, they shed their cloaks and looked inside through a few holes in the older wood planks.  
  
There were lanterns everywhere, giving the whole building a well- illuminated stetting; almost cheery, if it wasn't for the over-six-dozen men all over the place. All of them wearing different clothing, but all wearing the same headband- black with a fire breathing dragon centered on the forehead, they were everywhere in the barn, some perched on various columns of baled-up hay, others lounging about on the dirt floor, but all of them had their attention focused on two figures in the center of the barn. One was standing and circling the other one like a shark circling its prey, the other lying weakly on the floor, dust flying up from her fall, using one arm to sit herself back up, the other arm to try to staunch to fresh blood flowing from her lower lip. Hercules caught his breath when he saw Kel's pained expression; from the bruises that were all over her body, he could tell that she had taken some severe beatings in the short hours she had been there. The other figure, a tall, menacing man dressed in black with a small scar that ran over his right eye, began to speak.  
  
"You're no different from the others, Rekelen. You think that even with all your skills, your powers, you should uphold the name of honor. You don't realize the potential you have, the potential that could make you one of the most powerful warriors in the known world. But you were foolish- to think that you and the rest of the Shang could defeat us. Corlen and the others were foolish, too, and they paid for it with their lives," he finished scornfully.  
  
Kel still sat on the ground, braced on one arm. She glanced up and coolly remarked, "The only one foolish here is you, Jetar. They knew the risks of what they were doing, and we'd all gladly go through it to stop you and your Dragons, even if we had to die."  
  
Jetar backhanded her viciously. She was flung back on the ground by the force of it, but was still able to sit back up. The cadets could tell she couldn't take too much more.  
  
"Charming guy, " Jason muttered quietly to the others. "How are we gonna get her out of there?"  
  
After a few moments' silence, Hercules sighed worriedly. "All right then. I suggest we start thinking fast."  
  
They turned their attention back to Jetar and Kel.  
  
"I'm getting a little tired of this, Kel. This is my final offer- your life will be spared if and only if you join us. Is that clear?"  
  
She glared up at him contemptuously. "I'd rather die."  
  
"That can be arranged." Jetar said coldly, his blue eyes hard as ice. "Bekor, my sword."  
  
A young Dragon, no more that sixteen years old, stepped forward with a huge broadsword and pressed it into Jetar's outstretched hand. Outside, the cadets' hearts started beating faster; Kel didn't have much time left.  
  
Hercules looked at the others. "Anything?"  
  
They shook their heads.  
  
"Ok, then, here's what I've got, even though we probably won't live to see the end of it."  
  
After a quick huddle, they stood up in front of the closed doors, all of them tensing up for what they were about to do.  
  
"You know," Jetar reminisced cruelly, "This is the same sword I've had ever since I could wield one. I'm sure you remember it, don't you?"  
  
Kel sat wordlessly on the ground, refusing to be prodded in the direction he was taking the conversation.  
  
"I see you do. If it's any comfort to you, in a way, I'm giving you your last wish. Say hello to Liam for me."  
  
Kel glanced up, golden eyes hard as stone. "My last wish is to see you dead, Jetar."  
  
The Dragon gave an amused chuckle. "I'm afraid I can help you with that. Goodbye, Rekelen." He started to swing the sword at Kel.  
  
The doors burst open with a loud bang. The Dragons nearest to the door were immediately set upon by the four cadets, who fought with all their strength. They managed to take down half a dozen who that had been caught off guard but were outnumbered severely. When the dust settled, a few Dragons were seen getting up on their feet and the cadets were all on the ground, aching from the sudden fierce thrashing they had just received, evident by the rapidly appearing bruises and bloody scrapes.  
  
"What's this?" Jetar scoffed. "A rescue attempt? How pitiful. Bring them over here."  
  
Kel, still immensely sore from the last few hours of beating, could only watch as a handful of Dragons ruthlessly dragged the cadets over to Jetar, who stood in between then and her. Even through his black eye, she could see the embarrassment and humiliation in Hercules' face at not being able to help her.  
  
Jetar chuckled humorlessly. "Friends of yours. Kel? I take it these are the people you met at that centaur's academy Reskal told me about."  
  
"Where is that gutless snake, anyway, I think I'm actually starting to miss him."  
  
"Where he is is no concern of yours. But I think your companions would want to know."  
  
Jason looked up at him warily, trying to ignore his bleeding lip. "What are you talking about?"  
  
Jetar's face slowly broke into an evil grin. "He went back to your precious Academy; before the sun rises, it should be burnt to a nice little crisp."  
  
"What?!" Kel and the cadets all yelled in surprise.  
  
"Not that you can do anything about it, you'll be dead before sunrise, too."  
  
He looked don at Kel, who had a haunted look in her eyes. "I know Reskal promised not to hurt the place but a Dragon has different priorities than a mindless Shang. One of those is to eliminate anyone who knows too much, and the Academy has people who know too much, undoubtedly from you. Now where were we? Oh, yes, I believe it was something about goodbyes."  
  
He watched Kel's indifferent reaction. She knew that she would be dead with the next few moments, so she didn't bother trying to use up the energy she didn't have by giving Jetar a reaction he would've wanted.  
  
"Hmm; perhaps I could send you some company first before you see Liam." He walked around and behind the four cadets, who were still recovering from the attack, his sword in hand. The cadets were scared for their lives but put on a brave face.  
  
"Let's see," Jetar went on, "Which one first?" He paused for a moment behind Lilith. "Ladies first?"  
  
Iolaus. "His hair's certainly long enough for a lady."  
  
Jason. "The crowned prince of Corinth? I'll have to think about that. A ransom might prove better than a long battle with the king's army."  
  
Hercules. "Well, well, well, how about you?"  
  
One of the older Dragons, who was leaning back on a bale of hay nearby, suddenly sat up, a confused expression on his face. "This can't be possible."  
  
Jetar turned his head towards the short man who had spoken. "What are you talking about, Eamon?"  
  
Eamon replied bewilderedly, "When we ambushed Kel at the end of the tunnel, he was with her. Kovius shot him with a poisoned arrow. It should've killed him."  
  
"Oh, really," Jetar said mockingly. "He doesn't look killed to me. No matter, I suppose I'll have to have a talk with Reskal later about finishing a job properly."  
  
Lantern light gleaming off his sword as he raised it above his head, Jetar said in a loud voice to all the Dragons, "My brothers, let this day-" He broke off with a sharp yell of pain that came from the arrow that just imbedded itself in his arm, which clanged to the floor behind Hercules.  
  
Suddenly, the whole barn grew alive with the sounds of fighting, Kel, the cadets, and even the Dragons were temporarily stunned by the sudden attack, but the Dragons had to recover quickly, because they had to fight for their lives against the Shang warriors who had appeared out of nowhere. There were less than thirty Shang, but they were able to handle things pretty well; even Jetar was joined in battle. Seeing who the Shang was, she smiled grimly; she had a chance to avenge Liam's death. She quickly crawled over to Hercules, who, along with his friends, was starting to stand up to guard the front door to prevent the escape of any Dragons. He saw her approach and also the look in her eyes as she held out her hand. He knew what she had to do and took her hand. This time, the exchange was extremely fast; the other cadets saw a bright flash transfer from Hercules to Kel through their joined hands. When they let go, the cadets had to support Hercules, who was on the verge of falling asleep.  
  
Energized by the transfer from Hercules, Kel got up and started walking purposefully towards Jetar and his opponent, ducking once when a Dragon went flying over her head. The tall, blond Shang warrior who was fighting Jetar looked over at Kel and smiled- he had actually just been stalling him, preventing his escape in the midst of the chaotic fight; He said something to Jetar, immediately backed off and found another Dragon to fight with. Jetar, apparently confused by the Shang's remark, was caught off guard when Kel tapped him on the shoulder, and when he turned around, she dealt him a severe blow that knocked him on his back. While he struggled to get back up, he stared into Kel's clam face that betrayed the fire blazing in her golden eyes, knowing she would probably fully avenge Liam's death. He took a moment to take a few deep breaths, neither him nor Kel aware of the gradually waning battle. More and more Dragons were being downed all the time and the Shang who didn't have anyone else to fight stopped to watch the fateful battle.  
  
Jetar launched himself at Kel, his full body weight nearly slamming into her body if she hadn't neatly sidestepped. As he flew past, she whirled around and slammed her leg downwards into his back. Although he fell quicker than he wanted to, he rolled out of the leap cleanly. They circled each other, both looking for an opening to attack, Kel living up to her title, her head almost seeming to move like a snake's, moving side to side. The Shang watched silently, knowing what would happen in the end; their youngest wasn't given her title early for nothing, and she had been wanting to avenge Liam's death for two years. The Dragons, those few who were still conscious, fervently hoped that Jetar would win; they believed that if the Cobra were to be victorious, then their lives were forfeit.  
  
The fighting resumed as soon as Jetar found an opening.or so he thought. Even as he spun into a flying roundhouse kick, Kel was ready. She ducked when his leg flew over her and when he landed in a crouch, she drove a low sidekick into his shoulder, knocking him off balance. He landed on his hands and knees, facing away from Kel. However, when she attempted to a flying kick into his unprotected back, Jetar turned at the last possible second, grabbed her foot and twisted it. Kel twisted with it, protecting her entrapped foot, and using her hands and Jetar's face with her other one to keep her momentum up. He let go, a hand up to his broken nose. Then disregarding almost everything, he attacked her with a will, punching, kicking, anything, but Kel always countered whatever he gave her and usually returning the blow even harder on him. At last, Jetar slowed his assault; he was starting to wear out. After Kel knocked him spinning to the ground with a fist to his eye, he used his last trick up his sleeve. Grabbing a handful of dirt from the ground, he jumped up and threw it at Kel, knowing her eyes would be watching him closely. But Kel had seen it coming and dodged the barrage, delivering a spinning kick to his chin so hard everyone in the barn could hear the audible snap in this neck. Jetar fell down to the ground limply.  
  
The whole barn grew silent. The Dragons who were still standing surrendered totally; without a leader, it was pointless to fight. The cadets were stunned. Kel sat a short ways from Jetar's body; she looked up at the cadets. "It's ok, guys."  
  
In the complete silence, her voice could be heard by all.  
  
"It's over." 


	5. A Cobra's Secrets

The aftermath of the battle was being quietly cleaned up. Most of the Dragons were still unconscious from fighting and losing and were being taken into the city by most of the Shang to be imprisoned. There were only a few deaths, and those were being buried out in the forest.  
  
The cadets were sitting with Kel for support; Lilith had found a skin filled with water, which Kel gratefully accepted. Jason had found her gear in a corner of the barn; she still had her sword, but her haversack and traveling robe had been thrown to wild dogs that had been in the barn to drive them away and torn to shreds. Kel gave back to Hercules most of his strength, just enough so that the both of them could stay awake.  
  
While resting (the hours of beatings she had received were now starting to take their toll) and watching the clouds change colors from the rising sun from inside the barn, a Shang warrior came up to Kel, who was surrounded by the cadets. It was the blond man who had kept Jetar busy so that Kel would have her chance at him. At closer inspection, he was tall, well-muscled, a black headband with a phoenix encircled by a ring of fire pictured on the center of it, tied through mussed dark blond hair. His teal blue eyes radiated concern as he knelt in front of Kel.  
  
"How are you feeling, Kel?" he asked gently, his voice a surprisingly smooth baritone.  
  
"I think I'm in love," whispered Lilith, lovestruck by the handsome warrior.  
  
"I'm fine, Justane. You'll excuse me if I skip introductions, but I have question and I assume you have the answers."  
  
"I understand. I'll try to explain everything, just ask me anything else at the end. I suppose I should start with the undercover agents we sent."  
  
Hercules interrupted. "The four that got killed, right?"  
  
Justane took a deep breath. "Yes.and the fifth one that lived."  
  
"The fifth?" Kel asked, surprised. "Who was it?"  
  
"Reskal."  
  
Kel and the cadets were shocked speechless; Justane used their silence to call out to the front of the barn, "Come on out, Reskal; they know."  
  
He appeared from outside the doorway, looking relieved, tired, and even a bit nervous all at once.  
  
"Reskal? He was.?" Kel managed to squeak out.  
  
"Yes, I was," the former Dragon confirmed. "That's why you're alive; Hercules and the others too, also how the rest of the Shang got here."  
  
"But if you're supposed to be one of the good guys," Iolaus asked flatly, "Then why are the other four Shang dead"  
  
Reskal's face grew sad. "I had no idea what had happened until it was too late. I was returning from Athens; Jetar told me what happened. I saw their bodies. I've had nightmares ever since."  
  
It was silent for a few moments for everyone. A man's voice broke the awkward silence from outside the barn. "Reskal!"  
  
Excusing himself from Justane and the others, he left in the direction of the voice. Hercules couldn't help but think, why does that voice sound so familiar?  
  
Justane went on. "As soon as the palace got hit with the first 'accident', High Master Vedaren called a meeting of all Shang warriors. We immediately recruited Reskal to be undercover from then on, so we'd have someone on the inside who would be there from the beginning; Reskal was the only one capable of being believable of becoming a Dragon."  
  
"What about the accidents he caused at the palace?" Kel sounded skeptical. "He broke Odanna's arm!" And upset, too.  
  
"Those were all planned. We knew what it would take to be a Dragon and what it would take to stay that way and that you could heal whatever injuries came about. And it worked."  
  
"And he's been undercover all this time?" Jason asked.  
  
"Yes, which is why he's relieved beyond belief, his life isn't hanging by a thread day in and day out anymore."  
  
Kel was furious. "And what about the attack on the Academy? Iolaus could've died."  
  
The Phoenix had an apologetic look on his face. "That was under Jetar's orders; if he had disobeyed, Jetar might've killed him and sent someone who would've completely destroyed the Academy. We were hoping you could heal up anything that happened."  
  
Kel was absolutely outraged, but before she could say anything, Hercules clapped a hand over her mouth and quickly asked, "How did you know where to find us?"  
  
Justane looked grateful for the subject change. "We've been following Kel at a distance ever since she left Shang, we wanted to make sure everything went to plan. Reskal knew about the whole thing and got a message to us somehow about the attack on the Academy, so we didn't accidentally waltz right into their camp. We watched the whole thing; the attack on the Academy, the sword fight, Kel's dash into the forest. Unfortunately we had no idea where she had disappeared to- by the way, nice job on covering your tracks, Kel; Lansek had no idea where you were."  
  
She felt calmer than just a few moments ago; one corner of her lips turned upwards in a small smile. "You're kidding- Lansek? He was the best tracker we had at the palace."  
  
Justane nodded. "Except this time, you vanished without a trace. So we started searching. We had to hide when a centaur came running through the forest. We followed him, but he ended up carrying- I believe it was you, Hercules- with an arrow through your shoulder. Going farther, we found a clearing with blood smeared on some ferns and also tracks leading northwards to Corinth. So we left; going through the forest was hard with horses. When we got to Corinth we had no idea of where the Dragons' meeting place was, so we search for an eternity before Reskal found us. He had about twenty men with him and we had to quietly take care of them before any of them could carry the alarm back to their headquarters. Then he led us to this barn; we arrived just in time to see Jetar's sword in the air above Hercules. I immediately ordered Myara to fire that first shot. The rest, you know."  
  
They all nodded quietly. Sensing their need to be alone, Justane quickly excused himself.  
  
The cadets were slightly upset by the Phoenix's explanation. "I can't believe this," Jason started. "The least they could've done is have told you what was going on."  
  
Kel shook her head. "It's understandable- it's the Shang way. It wasn't necessary to let me know what was going on; in fact, it probably made my story more believable."  
  
"But what about everyone who got hurt, or could've been hurt?" Iolaus asked.  
  
"All in all, this was the safest way to defeat the Dragons with the least amount of damage. I'm not entirely too happy about it, but it was certainly better than an all-out war."  
  
Hercules couldn't help but think, Well, there's something to be said about a warrior's code of honor.  
  
"Come on, guys, we should probably be going now." Kel got up slowly, and cadets followed suit. They walked outside to the front of the barn, which faced the rising sun. The serenity of the scene contrasted dramatically with what had happened in the last hour. A few Shang warriors were lounging about on the cool, dewy grass, resting from digging graves for the Dragons who had been killed. Most of the others were still in Corinth, most likely trying to wake up prison officials to secure the remaining Dragons. One of the female warriors, who was talking with Reskal (who looked a touch on the pale side), saw Kel and the cadets come out and approached them.  
  
"Now I think I'm in love," Iolaus said softly, as he watched the pretty blond woman come up to them.  
  
Jason elbowed him in the ribs. "You're always in love."  
  
"I'm glad to see you're all right, Kel," the woman said, her unusual purple eyes sincere. "I overheard a little of what Justane told you. I'm sure you remember my brother's tendency to be a bit straightforward, if not brutal, in these things sometimes."  
  
"Yes, I remember. Myara, these are friends I met at the Academy- Hercules, Iolaus, Jason and Lilith; everyone, this is one of my best friends from Shang, Myara the Unicorn."  
  
Quiet greetings were exchanged, along with a whisper from Lilith to Iolaus, "Iolaus, you're drooling." Finding out he wasn't, he retaliated with a swift poke to Lilith's side.  
  
Myara hid a smile and went on. "I'm one of the Masters at Shang, of archery to be more precise."  
  
Hercules put in, "Oh, yeah, Justane said that you were the one who shot Jetar in the arm. Thanks, you saved my life."  
  
Myara blushed slightly but laughed it off. "Hey, don't mention it, all in a day's work. Oh, by the way, did you see what happened to Reskal just now?"  
  
"No," Kel answered, looking over at him leaning against a giant tree. "Is that why he looks so pale?"  
  
"Yep; right before you came out, Ares paid him a visit."  
  
"Great, what did he want now?" Hercules muttered.  
  
"Actually, it was about you," Myara said amusedly. "Something about a deal and you being dead or something. What does he have against you?"  
  
"Typical," Hercules said. "Yeah, he's my half-brother; my dad's also Zeus."  
  
"Nice to see sibling rivalry exists even in immortal realms. Anyways, Reskal said that there was never a deal, since he never said he would kill you- no deal, no death. And, of course, since it seemed Reskal was right, Ares got even more furious, told Reskal that he'd better hope that their paths never cross again, then vanished."  
  
"Well, let's hope that they never do," Hercules said. "Ares can keep a grudge for an eternity."  
  
The five of them talked for a while with the rest of the Shang warriors until the rest of the Shang returned from the city.  
  
Justane came up to Kel and the cadets, who were talking to the Falcon about tracking skills. "Sorry that took so long, but it seems none of the prison officials are morning people. Are you all ready to go home?"  
  
"I think so, we just need to get our horses," Lansek answered. To the cadets, he asked, "Did you all walk here or do you need a ride?"  
  
"Actually we left our mounts in that old abandoned stable over there," Jason replied, pointing over the stable where they had left their horses on their way to rescue Kel.  
  
Justane smiled. "That's where we left ours; we hoped the other horses wouldn't mind a lot of company. So I guess we can ride with you guys back to your academy, then head home."  
  
"Well, you guys don't have to leave that quick, do you?" Iolaus asked, looking over at Myara, who was talking with a few of the other female Shang. "I mean, if Kora has empty rooms in her inn and Cheiron probably won't mind if some of you stayed the night in the Academy, get new provisions and stuff. Cheiron'll probably ask you to stay longer to teach us cadets some of the stuff you do."  
  
Justane stroked his chin reflectively. "I'll have to discuss it with the others; doesn't sound too bad though. After spending the last few weeks in the woods, cooking over fires, and sleeping in shifts on the hard ground, a soft bed and a warm meal sound terrific."  
  
The whole group walked down to the stable-turned-horse hotel. Once mounted, about a dozen Shang left (including Myara to Iolaus' disappointment); these were the Shang sent to wander the land in search of adventure and knowledge, coming back to Shang occasionally to share what they learned in their travels.  
  
Although Kel was the only one who came to Corinth without a mount of her own, one of the Shang, Farran the Tiger, aptly named for his flaming red hair, found where the Dragons kept their horses and she used one of theirs, a sturdy tan mare. On the way back, a decision was made. The rest of the Shang shared Justane's view on shelter for the night; they'd try to get rooms at Kora's. The cadets made many friends along the way among the warriors- Farran, Aidan the Fox, and many others. After a brief stop for a late lunch and to let the horses rest, Hercules decided that this might be the last opportunity to talk to Kel privately, so shortly after they started off again, he quietly asked her if they could talk alone. She agreed and the two of them maneuvered their horses to the back of the group and dropped back a bit, so they could talk in normal tones.  
  
"So where do you want to start?" Kel asked.  
  
"I have no idea, I have so many questions," Hercules answered. After a short moments' pause, he asked, "How about 'What are you?' You're definitely not like anyone I've ever met, and I've met a lot of people."  
  
Kel chuckled. "No, I'm not at that. Nor like anyone else you'll ever meet. Well, I can't tell you what I am, not exactly, because even I don't know. I only remember what my parents looked like, but never their names, nor our race. My first real memory is of Master Torias finding me when he was only a novice and I only an infant. Not much you can go off of."  
  
"Yeah, I guess. And your healing abilities?"  
  
"Part of my heritage, I suppose; separates me from humans and deities."  
  
After some silence, Hercules cleared his throat. Well, here goes. "Kel, there's something to have to tell you."  
  
She turned her head to look at him, her golden eyes catching his blue ones with a steady gaze. "I know."  
  
Hercules smiled a little. "But I didn't even say anything."  
  
"It's about how you feel about me, isn't it?"  
  
Hercules felt his jaw drop in surprise. "How did you-"  
  
"Hercules, there's something you should know about me. I'm a telepath."  
  
"A what?"  
  
"A telepath. A mind reader."  
  
Oh no. So she had known all along.  
  
"A touch telepath, to be more specific; but I can still sense emotions even when I'm not in contact with someone. I sensed you were nervous before you started speaking, and along with your thoughts from the time I had to heal both myself and Iolaus back at the Academy, I just put two and two together."  
  
"Oh."  
  
"And I just wanted to say a couple things. First, I'm flattered really; for only knowing me for so short a time and in that situation with the Dragons, you were really sweet. But I'm still deeply in love with love with Liam, although he's been dead for two years."  
  
"Oh. Guess he was pretty special."  
  
"Yes, he was, in so many ways. And so are you."  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"The reason why I'm not over Liam is because our minds were already bonded in a way that one could never be complete without the other- a side effect of my heritage. And when he died, I couldn't feel his presence anymore and it still tears me up inside. But I've discovered that your mind is just as compatible as his."  
  
"So. that means that you and me.?" Hercules saw a small glimmer of hope.  
  
"Yes, it does. But not now. Perhaps in different times and circumstances, we could've been together. And maybe we can in the future, but not now."  
  
Hercules' heart fell. "I see."  
  
Kel looked over at the subdued demigod and leaned over to lightly punch him in the arm. "Hey, cheer up. I said maybe someday, right? Besides, after I leave you might meet some girl that's gonna absolutely take your breath away and you won't even remember me anymore."  
  
Not likely. "Maybe."  
  
"Trust me, a nice guy like you isn't gonna stay single forever."  
  
Hercules chuckled. "Thanks. So are you gonna be staying the night with us again tonight?"  
  
"I don't know. I do need to catch up with my friends."  
  
"Oh come on, you've got the entire trip back to your palace to catch up. We probably won't see you ever again after you leave."  
  
"Ha ha, all right. I'll stay, if it won't be too much trouble."  
  
"No trouble at all; just try not to go beating up any more of our cadets."  
  
They both laughed, then, catching up to the rest of the group, continued on their way home.  
  
* * * * * * * * *  
  
The next morning was a familiar scene, although the sun was rising this time, not setting. The four cadets and Cheiron were outside the open front gate, Kel with them, her horse in tow, Justane and Lansek both a short distance from the Academy on horseback, waiting for her.  
  
"Too bad you can't stay, Kel," Jason said. "Even if we would have to endure daily beatings, er, practices." A mischievous twinkle shone in his eyes.  
  
"Careful, Jason, or I can leave you with a last beating, er, practice for you to remember me by," Kel answered, an impish twinkle in her eyes. "But really, I just need to go home."  
  
"Just don't forget us, ok?" Lilith asked.  
  
"I won't, I promise. I'll try to visit down here again if I can, too."  
  
"Yeah, sure," Iolaus dismissed quickly. "Do you think you could get Myara to come back and visit?"  
  
"We'll see, but don't hold your breath."  
  
"Kel!" Lansek called.  
  
"Well, it looks like it's time."  
  
"Safe journey, Rekelen of Shang," Cheiron said formally, extending his arm towards the Cobra.  
  
She grasped his arm warmly. "Stay well, Headmaster Cheiron."  
  
Letting go, she stepped back and made as if to go, but then walked over to Hercules. She held up one hand, looking him squarely in the eye. "A gift, if you want it."  
  
Puzzled but curious, he nodded.  
  
Stepping closer to him, Kel put her hand up to his face, placing her fingers on specific points. Closing her eyes, she drew in a deep breath.  
  
Hercules closed his eyes also. He felt Kel's presence in his mind, warm, soothing, filling his mind with information. It came in fast; Hercules struggled with the flow of it, until it died down and he could sort through it all.  
  
Both Justane and Lansek knew what was going on, but like the others, they could only watch in fascination as a faint golden glow passed from Kel through her fingers into Hercules.  
  
After only a few moments, the glow disappeared; they both opened their eyes, and Kel removed her hand. Hercules could only stare into her eyes, as if not believing what just happened. Kel whispered something to Hercules that the others couldn't hear. She then hopped up on her horse, joined Justane and Lansek, and they all rode off.  
  
The cadets and Cheiron came up to Hercules, who was still staring off in Kel's direction, his eyes in a trance-like state.  
  
Iolaus leaned over to Hercules, also staring off towards Kel, and asked quietly, "What happened? What'd she say?"  
  
Hercules whispered, still in a trance, "Remember."  
  
Just as Kel was about to ride out of view, she turned her head and looked back. As Hercules saw her as she sat upon her mount- dangerous as the cobra she was named for, yet beautiful as a rose- in his mind's eye, he saw her as she truly was- a warrior suited to the cool climates of her home, the Shang palace, a place to which she had just shown him every step of the way. 


End file.
